Sun and Snow: Invasion
by Dreamstar's Courage
Summary: [Sequel to Sunlit Snowdrift] Dreamcloud and Windshadow have been seeing each other in secret for moons when the twolegs return, and a new prophecy arrives. But there is also news that will change their lives forever...
1. Chapter 1

_**Invasion**_

_**Summary: Sequel to Sunlit Snowdrift. Windshadow and Dreamcloud must defeat two legs in a new prophecy, and get big news...**_

_**Disclaimer: If I owned anyone but... Dreamcloud, Windshadow, Palepaw, Calicofur, Robinpelt, and tons of minor characters, I would be making all of this true in a 4th series after The Power of Three...**_

_**I JUST FOUND OUT THAT A WARRIORS MOVIE MIGHT BE COMING OUT NEXT SUMMER! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYNESS! IT'S CALLED 'WARRIORS OF THE FOREST'. But, if it's normal animation, I might not see it. If it's computer animation, or real stuff mixed with computer animation for graphic stuff, then I'll probably see it...**_

_**Chapter One: News**_

"Good job, Palepaw!" Dreamcloud purred. The nine moon old ginger and white apprentice padded over to her mentor, mouse dangling from her jaws.

"Thanks, Dreamcloud," She mewed. Palepaw had been Dreamcloud's apprentice for three moons now. She was very proud of this, for Dreamcloud was sort of a legend around the clan. She had defeated Blackstar, and was the daughter of Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw.

_**But she had a secret.**_

They heard a yowling, and Dreamcloud dipped her head. "Sounds like Firestar's about to decide who's going to the Gathering. Come."

The two she-cats ran to camp, and Palepaw gave her catch to the elders before padding up.

"I'd like Brambleclaw, Leafpool, Calicofur, Palepaw, Dreamcloud, Robinpelt, Spiderleg, Cloudtail, and Whiteleaf to come to the Gathering with me tonight," Firestar announced.

Dreamcloud kneaded the ground in anticipation. There was a reason she liked going to Gatherings...

Too bad the rest of her clan could never know.

000

"Sadly," The dark ginger she-cat yowled, "Rowanclaw got bitten by an adder and died, which is why I appointed a new deputy. Windshadow is now the deputy of Shadowclan."

Many cats-even from different clans- yowled their approval and congratulated the white tom. He had been a part of the same prophecy as Dreamcloud.

"Congratulations," She purred, pressing her cheek against his.

After the announcements were made, the two wandered off together. Leafpool, the sister of Squirrelflight, medicine cat, and kin of Dreamcloud, sighed. She remembered when she and Crowfeather did that often. Now they rarely did.

You see, that was Dreamcloud's secret.

Windshadow was her mate.

"Where are they going?" Firestar asked as he came to stand next to his daughter.

"Not sure," She sighed, "They're good friends..." She trailed off. She was the only one who knew of the 'affair'.

She was the only one who knew of the thing that would bring her kin endless trouble.

000

"Firestar!" Squirrelflight, who had been in charge of camp, raced up.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Cloudtail!" She panted, "We need Leafpool now!"

The white tom was curled up in the medicine cat's den, his eyes glazed and staring. His mate, Brightheart, and his daughter, Whiteleaf, raced up.

"He's breathing all right," Leafpool said as she examined, "Just a little slower. Like... hmm, like he's going unconcious. Cloudtail, what happened?"

"I smelled something..." He panted, "There wasn't enough time for me to recognize it, but it was... familar... and then... and then I felt this sting in my side..."

"We found a stinger," Squirrelflight reported, "And took it out. It's nearby."

Leafpool walked over and saw a small, clear looking thing with a long, sharp point. She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. What a foul scent!

"I've never seen this kind of thing before," She murmured, "Or smelled anything like it." Wait... something in the back of her mind... it had been so long...

"Will Cloudtail be all right?" Brightheart asked.

"Yes," Leafpool said, "He's just going to pass out for a long time, it seems."

"Thank goodness," Whiteleaf sighed in relief.

"I wonder what happened..." Dreamcloud meowed, looking him over.

"We need to find out," Firestar's eyes showed worry for his kin. "I will not let this clan be tortured by two legs again."

"Again?" Dreamcloud asked.

"Long ago," Leafpool answered, "When your mother and I were still apprentices, two legs began to drive us out of the forest, our old home. We were forced to come here."

Dreamcloud was silent. There was a strange calling to her, and she walked outside the den, looking at Silverpelt.

"So. I guess I'll be needed again."

000

_"I wonder what'll happen this time," Spottedleaf sighed, looking down on them. She often watched Windshadow and Dreamcloud, for she had once been in love with Windshadow._

_Bluestar padded up. "It's happening again," She murmured, "I can't guide them on it on my own. I wonder..."_

_Two cats appeared. Graystripe and Silverstream, the doomed lovers. _

_"Silverstream, I'll need you," Bluestar clarified. "And maybe you, Graystripe. We all have experience on this."_

_They both nodded. Silverstream's green eyes showed worry._

_"I'm visiting her."_

_000_

_"Something is happening to you, Dreamcloud."_

_Dreamcloud looked around, and soon saw a beautiful silver tabby. The light of Starclan shown in her eyes._

_"Who are you?" She asked._

_"I am Silverstream," The cat murmured, "I died long before your time, bearing Graystripe's kits. You and Windshadow are Starclan's Chosen, and something very important is going to happen to you."_

_"What?"_

_"You'll see."_

_000_

"From this day foward, you shall be known as Palelegs," Firestar announced two moons later. Dreamcloud purred, but she felt sick, like she wanted to cough up the mouse she ate a while ago. She sighed, curled up in her nest, and went to sleep.

000

_"The hearts of other are beating inside you..." Silverstream murmured._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Take care of them, Dreamcloud..." Silverstream's green eyes glazed._

_"The blood of Sun and Snow will blend_

_The sleeping monster will return_

_The most precious will be stolen_

_And everything will sleep."_

_000_

"I'm going to Leafpool," She muttered the next morning, padding over to the medicine cat den.

"Leafpool," She meowed, "Something wrong with me. I feel like I need to throw up, and at the same time, I can't stop eating."

Leafpool got a strange expression on her face and made Dreamcloud lie down. She then gently pressed on the she-cat's stomach.

"Well?" Dreamcloud asked, sitting up.

"Congratulations, Dreamcloud. You're expecting kits."

000

_**Well...? R and R! **_


	2. Shocked

_**Invasion**_

_**Summary: Sequel to Sunlit Snowdrift. Windshadow and Dreamcloud must defeat two legs in a new prophecy, and get big news...**_

_**Disclaimer: If I owned anyone but... Dreamcloud, Windshadow, Palepaw, Calicofur, Robinpelt, and tons of minor characters, I would be making all of this true in a 4th series after The Power of Three...**_

_**I JUST FOUND OUT THAT A WARRIORS MOVIE MIGHT BE COMING OUT NEXT SUMMER! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYNESS! IT'S CALLED 'WARRIORS OF THE FOREST'. But, if it's normal animation, I might not see it. If it's computer animation, or real stuff mixed with computer animation for graphic stuff, then I'll probably see it...**_

**_Rashed, Raincloud's Legacy, and Frostpaw, thanks for reviewing!_**

_**Chapter Two: Shock**_

"I'm _what!_" Dreamcloud exlaimed.

"You'll be moving to the nursery, of course," Leafpool went on, as if she hadn't heard her. "It's a good thing that Palelegs is a warrior now, or else her training would have to be postponed-"

"I can't be expecting kits," Dreamcloud muttered, though she was remembering Silverstream's words.

"You'll have to be careful," Leafpool's voice dropped to a whisper, "There are very few half-clan cats who go without persecution. Stonefur was killed for his bloodlines, and Mistyfoot, Feathertail, and Stormfur were tortured."

"That was when Tigerstar ruled, though," Dreamcloud murmured, but she still worried...

As she padded out of the den, a silver tabby ran up, and for a moment, she thought it was Silverstream. But she then recognized her best friend, Lightfur.

"Dreamcloud!" She purred, "What were you doing in Leafpool's den?"

Dreamcloud sighed. "Can you keep a secret, Lightfur?"

"Of course!"

Dreamcloud led her friend so that they were seated behind the nursery, and she took a deep breath.

"I'm having kits."

"Really?" Lightfur trilled, "That's wonderful!" She touched noses with Dreamcloud, wonder in her blue eyes. It was like she saw Dreamcloud in a whole different way now that she was a true queen.

"They're Robinpelt's, aren't they?"

Something stabbed in Dreamcloud's heart. Guilt. Robinpelt, son of Brackenfur and Sorreltail, was her old love, and she realized that she would have to tell everyone that they were his kits in order to not get caught.

"Yes," She mumbled.

"Have you told him yet?"

"I just found out myself!"

"You'd better hurry, then!"

000

"Robinpelt?" Dreamcloud mewed, walking into the warrior's den. The brown tabby tom was eating by himself, looking a bit lonely. Though she still felt like he was her friend, Dreamcloud hadn't really had time for him in the last few moons.

"Oh, Dreamcloud," He purred, sitting up, "It's you."

"Yes," She murmured, "I have news for you."

"What?" He asked, somwhat confused.

"I'm... I'm expecting kits."

"That's great!" He meowed enthusiastically, "But wait... they..."

"Yes." Dreamcloud whispered, "They aren't yours. But we need to tell everyone they are."

"Who is the father?"

"I can't tell you. Ever."  
Robinpelt sighed and brushed his pelt against hers. "I'll support you," He promised, but there was something strange in his eyes that Dreamcloud didn't trust at all.

"You are... all right with this, aren't you?" Dreamcloud asked hesitantly. There was a long silence before Robinpelt spoke.

"Of course I'm all right with it," He sighed, "I'm happy for you, Dreamcloud. Whoever your real mate is, he's a lucky tom to be the father of your kits."

But she still wasn't sure. He was taking it too well. Moons ago, Robinpelt had told Dreamcloud that he loved her. She, of course, had never responded.

Suspicious.

000

"This is wonderful!" Squirrelflight purred as she padded through camp with her daughter and her sister. She pressed her cheek against Dreamcloud's. Her daughter purred. She had just told Squirrelflight about the kits.

"Brambleclaw will be pleased as well," Squirrelflight murmured, her eyes sparkling, "Now, who's your mate?"

"Robinpelt," Dreamcloud responded quickly.

Too quickly.

Squirrelflight stared for a moment, puzzled by her daughter's nervousness. She then dismissed it. This was Dreamcloud's first litter, after all.

"What news are you she-cats talking about?" Came an amused purr. They turned to see Firestar and Brambleclaw walking over to them.

"Dreamcloud's having kits!" Squirrelflight mewed happily.

Firestar and Brambleclaw's eyes widened, and they pressed themselves against her, purrs rumbling from their throats.

"May I tell the clan that you're moving to the nursery?" Firestar asked, his eyes glowing with pride. After all, he was soon to be a great-grandfather!

"Yes," Dreamcloud meowed after a moment, "Robinpelt is the father."

The leader bounded off and yowled the signal for a clan meeting.

"Thunderclan," He yowled, "We have great news. Dreamcloud shall be moving to the nursery, for she is expecting kits. Robinpelt is the father."

Many cats purred and came up to congratulate her, since she was a popular cat, but all that went through her mind was that the Gathering was that night. Firestar would be announcing the news. Windshadow would know.

000

"And Tallpoppy is retiring to be an elder," Russetstar finished, and backed away. Firestar stepped forward, and Dreamcloud's heart began beating faster than usual.

"Thunderclan is thriving," He reported, "We have two new warriors, Palelegs and Crescentface. We also have very exciting news. Dreamcloud, one of our warriors and my own granddaughter, is moving to the nursery, for she is expecting kits."  
Dreamcloud's eyes seeked out that snowy white pelt, and she found it. Windshadow's head slowly turned to her, his green eyes enormous. He looked like he was about to faint. Dreamcloud gave him a helpless look as a few of her friends from other clan congratulated her. She would have to talk to him later.

A while after the announcements, Windshadow was gesturing for her to follow him, and she meekly obeyed. Once they were out of earshot of any cats, they sat facing each other.

"Kits?" He finally meowed in a shocked tone.

"Kits."

"Thats... thats..."

She was worried about what he would say. Would he hate her? Would he not want to see her anymore? Would he abandon her and their unborn kits?

"That's the best news I've ever heard."

Happily, he pressed up against her, twining his tail around hers. His body vibrated with a great purr.

"It is, isn't it?" Dreamcloud murmured happily.

"Of course!" He purred, giving her forhead a happy lick. The two then settled down and began to share tongues in great bliss.

000

_Dreamcloud faced three cats. Yellowfang, Silverstream, and Bluestar. She wondered why they were there, until she realized that these cats were all famous for their forbidden love affairs in which kits were born._

_"I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into," Bluestar whispered._

_"Of course I do!" Dreamcloud narrowed her eyes. "And I'm not giving them up. Ever."_

_"There's always a risk, though," Silverstream sighed, her green eyes sad. "I never even got to meet my kits."  
Dreamcloud stared at her stomach, which wasn't swelling yet. She realized that she already loved her kits._

_"These kits unite Windshadow and I," She sighed. _

_"That's what Graystripe said," Silverstream said fondly._

_"Just... take care of yourself as well," Yellowfang muttered, "And don't keep secrets from everyone. I did, and maybe if I had told the truth and raised Brokentail myself, he wouldn't become what he was."_

000

_**OK, if you want to see pictures of cats who look like Dreamcloud, Windshadow, Robinpelt, and Calicofur, go to my profile. There'll be links. I'll add more soon... R and R!**_


	3. Calicofur

_**Invasion**_

_**Summary: Sequel to Sunlit Snowdrift. Windshadow and Dreamcloud must defeat two legs in a new prophecy, and get big news...**_

_**Disclaimer: If I owned anyone but... Dreamcloud, Windshadow, Palepaw, Calicofur, Robinpelt, and tons of minor characters, I would be making all of this true in a 4th series after The Power of Three...**_

_**I JUST FOUND OUT THAT A WARRIORS MOVIE MIGHT BE COMING OUT NEXT SUMMER! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYNESS! IT'S CALLED 'WARRIORS OF THE FOREST'. But, if it's normal animation, I might not see it. If it's computer animation, or real stuff mixed with computer animation for graphic stuff, then I'll probably see it...**_

_**Chapter Three: Calicofur**_

Windshadow opened his eyes and blinked at the sunlight streaming into the warriors den. He stood and swished his tail, suddenly remembering what had happened the night before.

"My kits!" He muttered to himself, padding out of the den. Littlecloud was quietly arranging herbs, and Russetstar was walking towards him.

"Good morning, Windshadow," She mewed.

"Good morning," He replied, still in a daze. Adderfoot and Silkpelt padded up to Windshadow. They were the kits of his former mentor and close friend, Applebird.

"Oh, Adderfoot, Silkpelt," Windshadow meowed, "Can you two go out with Cardinalpaw on a hunting patrol?" Cardinalpaw was Adderfoot's apprentice. The ginger and white tom and the gray tabby she-cat both nodded and padded off. He purred a greeting to my former apprentice, Larktail, who was walking by.

"You're in a good mood," The gray and white she-cat observed.

"Yes, he is," Came a mroww of laughter. Windshadow turned to find Applebird, who was calmly stretching.

"What's so odd about that?" He asked.

"You're just usually very serious," She replied, sitting down next to him. She saw a distant look in his eyes, happy, yet confused at the same time, like he couldn't figure out what his feelings were.

She thought for a moment about her mate, Birchpelt. Or, former mate, that was. They had agreed to stop seeing each other after Adderfoot and Silkpelt were born.

_**That was because he was a Thunderclan cat.**_

"Do you have a she-cat in mind?" She asked him.

Windshadow vigorously shook his head, in a way that made Applebird think that he _did _have a she-cat on his mind. How funny it would be if it was his own former apprentice, Larktail! But she was sure it wasn't...

Applebird sighed... Birchpelt...

_Flashback_

_The ginger she-cat nimbly lept down from the branch to find herself face to face with a gray tabby tom._

_"Hello, Birchkit," She purred, touching noses with him, knowing that he wouldn't hurt her._

_"Birchpaw," He corrected her, "And how have you been doing, Applekit?" _

_"Applepaw. And I've been doing great. Shadowclan likes our new territory."_

_The conversation was awkward, and she wondered why she was so nervous around this Thunderclan tom..._

_Different Flashback_

_"They're beautiful kits, Applebird," Birchpelt murmured, looking down at the two newborn kits. "But..."_

_"But what?" She asked._

_"We can't see each other anymore. It's too dangerous."_

Applebird shuddered. The kits had only been three suns old when he told her that. Stupid tom.

"Want to go on a patrol with me?" Windshadow asked her, "Well... not really a patrol, since it's only two cats, but we need someone to check out the borders."

"Sure."

As the two cats ran step for step through the forest, Applebird could tell that something was tugging in the corner of Windshadow's mind...

"You're distracted," She murmured.

"Very."

That's when a wailing arose from nearby. Applebird recognized the voice immediately.

"Adderfoot," She breathed.

The two cats raced towards the sound, and found the ginger and white tom standing alone. Oh no.

"What is it?" Windshadow asked.

"Silkpelt," The younger warrior meowed sorrowfully, "I've been looking for her for a long time, and... well, look."

A chunk of gray and black fur was snagged on some twigs. Windshadow stepped forward and sniffed at it.

"I... I've never smelled anything like this before," He breathed. Applebird got beside him and breathed the scent in. Her eyes suddenly widened, and her fur bristled.

"Twolegs."

Windshadow's muscles tensed. He had heard stories of the creatures, but never seen one, or even smelled one. Applebird herself had been just a kit when she was driven out of her old home.

"Do you think Silkpelt was stolen?" He asked. Pain was clouding the eyes of the missing cat's mother and brother.

"Yes, of course!" Applebird's voice was harsh, "That's what they did last time. But wait... Do you smell that?"

Windshadow sniffed the air. There was a foul scent in the air.

"They didn't have that last time," Applebird whispered, "Whatever it is."

As Windshadow watched her, he wondered if he could ever go through that kind of distress of losing a kit. _I might have to, _He realized. The shock had hit him.

He was going to be a father.

000

Leafpool slowly walked up to the Moonpool. Calicofur was close behind her, as were Barkface, his apprentice, Woodpaw Littlecloud, Nectarpaw, and Mothwing.

"I have decided," Littlecloud announced, "That it is time for Nectarpaw to receive his medicine cat name." The gray tabby and white apprentice's blue eyes widened, and she took a step forward.

"I, Littlecloud, medicine cat of Shadowclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her clan for many moons. Nectarpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your name as a medicine cat. Nectarpaw, from this moment you will be known as Nectarflower. Starclan honors your courage and intelligence."

Calicofur, who had become close to this cat, called her out by her name.

"Nectarflower! Nectarflower!"

Woodpaw, who didn't seem the least bit jealous, joined in as well, and soon, all of the medicine cats were chanting. But there was a bored look in Mothwing's eyes that troubled Calicofur. Rumors said that the Riverclan medicine cat didn't believe in Starclan!

"All right," Leafpool meowed, "We will now share tongues with Starclan."

This wasn't the first time Calicofur had shared tongues with her warrior ancestors at the Moonpool, but it excited her every time. She didn't know why she had even trained to become a warrior at all. Being a medicine cat was her calling. Just like being a warrior was her brother, Robinpelt's, calling.

Robinpelt. Maybe Starclan would tell her how her brother's kits were doing!

The young calico she-cat stepped forward and lapped up a few drops of the icy cold water, and visions slowly began to cloud her head...

_Calicofur opened her amber eyes to find many starry cats surrounding her. They suddenly all filed out until there were just two. Yellowfang and Spottedleaf, the legendary Thunderclan medicine cats._

_"Hello, Calicofur," Spottedleaf purred. Calicofur's pelt prickled. Starclan had never been so serious with her before... Something was different about this meeting._

_"You're right, Spottedleaf," Yellowfang commented, "She is the one."_

_"The one?" Calicofur echoed._

_"Yes... the One." Yellowfang's eyes bore into her. "Dreamcloud's kits aren't Robinpelt's."_

_Calicofur held back a gasp. They weren't?  
"You must befriend her," Spottedleaf instructed, "Your destiny is woven into theirs, Calicofur."_

_"What?"_

_"Many cats' destinies often interlink," Yellowfang explained, "Calicofur, Starclan promises you one thing:_

_You will be one of the greatest medicine cats to ever live."_

000

_**As you can guess, Calicofur is soon to become a main character, which is why I put up that pic of her on my profile... So, who do you like better, Dreamcloud or Calicofur?**_


	4. Barn Cats

_**Invasion**_

_**Summary: Sequel to Sunlit Snowdrift. Windshadow and Dreamcloud must defeat two legs in a new prophecy, and get big news...**_

_**Disclaimer: If I owned anyone but... Dreamcloud, Windshadow, Palepaw, Calicofur, Robinpelt, and tons of minor characters, I would be making all of this true in a 4th series after The Power of Three...**_

_**Chapter Four: Barn Cats**_

Dreamcloud opened her eyes. At first she was wondering where she was, but then she heard the mewling of Whiteleaf's kits, and got up, stretching.

"Good morning," She mewed to Whiteleaf, who was frantically trying to manage her kits, Rabbitkit and Acornkit. Both were one moon old. Acornkit was pale gray with white paws, the tom, and Rabbitkit, the she-kit, was all pale gray except for the tip of her tail, which was white. They mainly took after their father, Sootfur, in color.

"They haven't been walking for long, and they're already trying to get out!" Whiteleaf exclaimed, nosing Rabbitkit back into the nest with her brother. Dreamcloud blinked at them fondly. To think that in around two moons, she would have that as well!

"I've got the Poppy Seeds, Whiteleaf!" Came a cheerful voice. Calicofur was walking into the den, her delicate, three-tones paws stepping onto the moss.

"Thanks," Whiteleaf purred to the pretty medicine cat. "Acornkit has a cold, and he needs to sleep," She explained to Dreamcloud.

"He'll be all right, won't he?" The ginger queen asked worriedly.

"Oh, yes," Calicofur mewed as she nosed the gray and white kit. "He'll be fine."

Dreamcloud noticed that the slightly older she-cat looked worried, like she had something on her mind. Her blue(a/n: If I said they were amber, I've changed them) eyes stared at Dreamcloud for a moment. The pale ginger she-cat flinched and looked down. She hated being stared at. It was like the cat staring at her knew everything... including her secret.

"What is it, Calicofur?" Dreamcloud asked politely.

"Would you like to go with me as I gather herbs?" The medicine cat blurted out. Dreamcloud flicked her ears as she thought. Calicofur had to want something. She had never wanted this before... but still... Maybe she was just lonely, or wanted to see how she was doing.

"Sure."

000

Dreamcloud sniffed the air.

"Hmm. Smells like other cats."

"Really?" Calicofur mewed, her nose twitching as she tried to bring up memories of her warrior training.

Dreamcloud mrowwed with laughter. "Just because I'm expecting kits doesn't mean that I can't still use my warrior skills. And besides, you can't even tell that I'm expecting yet. I just moved to the nursery last night."

Her amber eyes grew worried as she wondered about who the cats were. She had never smelled them before...

"Murr-OW!"

A large gray and white tom lept out of the bushes toward her. Remembering her condition, Dreamcloud side-stepped and raked her claws down his muzzle, her fur bristling.

"Dreamcloud, don't!" Calicofur cried.

"He's attacking for no reason!" Dreamcloud protested," We're still on Thunderclan territory!" She opened her mouth to drink in his scent, and her eyes widened in anger. "He's not even a clan-cat! He's a loner!"

She prepared to attack, when a white blur bowled the loner over. Windshadow was standing over him, slashing at the loner with his claws. Just as the tom was about to sink his fangs into the gray and white cat's throat, Calicofur cried out,

"Don't!"

After a moment, Windshadow sighed and got off of the tom.

"Smoky? Smoky, where are you?"

A good-natured looking light brown long-haired she-cat wandered into view, a small gray and white she-cat behind her.

"Who are you loners?" Dreamcloud asked, arching her back and bearing her fangs. As if Calicofur was no longer there, Windshadow pressed his side to hers, copying her movements.

"Please calm down," The gray and white she-cat soothed. "My name is Floss, and these two are my parents, Daisy and Smoky(a/n: Floss is gray and white, and Smoky was protective of her kits...)."

Daisy's hazel eyes widened after she gazed at Dreamcloud. "Smoky!" She hissed to her mate, "You attacked a queen expecting kits!"

The tom looked a bit remorseful. "Sorry," He meowed, "But I was protecting my territory."

"You're loners," Windshadow spat, still unhappy about this cat attacking his mate.

"Windshadow, don't worry," Dreamcloud murmured, her mood suddenly changing. "He wasn't able to lay a claw on me."

Windshadow stared at her for a moment, before deciding that her hormones were awry. Meanwhile, Calicofur was watching the two, a strange look on her face. They seemed to be so close...

Too close.

"We're barn cats," Daisy mewed, "Nice to meet you... though I wish that it was under better circumstances."

"Same here," Dreamcloud said, "But how did you know that I was expecting?"

"Both Floss and I have had kits," Daisy purred, "We can always tell. So, when are the kits due?"

"Two moons."

As the other three she-cats spoke, Calicofur walked over to Windshadow. "Why are you in Thunderclan territory?" She asked boldly. The intimidating Shadowclan deputy turned his pale green gaze bore into her.

"I actually came to give you a message from Littlecloud. He wants to know if you have Coltsfoot here?" He sounded calm, but his eyes now shifted away from her, and Calicofur wondered...

"Yes, we do," She said, "But why didn't he send Nectarfoot for him?"

"Nectarfoot has a cold," He meowed, "Ironic isn't it?"

"Er... yes."

"Well," Dreamcloud mewed after a moment, "We'd better get going, shouldn't we Calicofur?" She turned to the loners. "And nice to meet you." Now to Windshadow. Her eyes met his, and they were silent for a moment before she spoke. "I liked seeing you again, Windshadow."

"So did I, Dreamcloud."

After a moment, he turned and bounded off. With a sigh, Dreamcloud began to pad off, Calicofur at her side.

000

Applebird watched the sleek white cat crouch closer and closer to his prey. Just a bit closer now...

Bam!

Windshadow trotted over and dropped the mouse at her paws. "You haven't been able to hunt all day," He purred, "Want to share?"

"Yes, thanks," She mewed, and took a bite of the mouse. Windshadow looked off in the distance for a moment.

"I've got to go," He finally meowed, "I'll be back soon."

As he padded off, Applebird stared after him, ears pricked. What was he doing? As if she was his mentor again, she followed the tom through the forest, 'til they came to the border.

_He'll stop here, _She thought.

_**But he didn't.**_

Windshadow calmly stepped onto Thunderclan territory, sniffing the air carefully. Finally, a beautiful pale ginger queen padded out of the shadows. With a purr of delight, she pressed herself against Windshadow. Applebird's hazel eyes widened in shock as Windshadow licked her forhead and pressed his head against hers. It was like they were mates.

"How are you and the kits doing?"

Oh.

They were.

Applebird recognized Dreamcloud of Thunderclan, and her claws sank into the ground. Those two had always been close... She pressed her belly to the ground, crouching low, hoping they wouldn't smell her.

"We're fine," Dreamcloud purred, twining her tail around his.

"Good. Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Of course not. Don't worry, that run in with the loners didn't do a thing. Calicofur checked me over." Dreamcloud's amber eyes narrowed. "I think she's getting suspicious, Windshadow."

He stiffened. "Is she? I'm guessing you two are growing closer."

"Yes. She's almost a friend."

Applebird swiped her tongue over her mouth in agitation. So a cat of Dreamcloud's clan knew as well. Or almost knew. She had heard of Calicofur, the medicine cat apprentice.

Smart cat.

She shifted her weight a bit, and a twig snapped. The lovers froze. Windshadow sniffed the air, and the fur on his shoulders bristled.

"Dreamcloud, go. Now."

The young queen paused, but then touched her nose to his before running off, silently. A skilled young warrior. Applebird admired her. So young, and yet so good.

"You can come out now, Applebird," Windshadow meowed.

Sighing, she crept out from her hiding place.

"Why'd you follow me?" He asked immediately, "I thought we were friends. I thought you trusted me."

A stab of pain hit Applebird's heart. She had felt a bit of jealousy toward Dreamcloud already, and now this?

"Well," She spat, "Apparently there was a good reason for me to not trust you."

Windshadow's leaf green eyes showed anger, and he bounded away, in front of her. His former mentor quickly followed.

"Why are you betraying your clan for this?" She mewed desperately. Windshadow spun on his paws to face her.

"I love her. That's why."

His words hit Applebird like a raking of claws against her face. She had thought it was skin deep... After all Dreamcloud was very beautiful...

"You love her."

"Yes." Windshadow looked her in the eye. "I love her, and she's carrying our kits. There's nothing you can do to stop us from loving each other, or stop those kits from being born. Because I know that you would never kill a queen with kits."

Applebird bowed her head. That was true.

"Fine, Windshadow," She murmured, "I'll keep your secret. Just... be careful. Please."

000

"Hurry, hurry!"

Calicofur lifted her head too find three cats padding frantically into camp. There was Sootfur, Sandstorm, and Spiderleg.

But something was wrong. Spiderleg was being supported between Sandstorm and Sootfur, and limping, his left forleg in the air.

"He was bitten by an adder!" Sandstorm panted.

Calicofur's blue eyes widened, and she rushed forward. Oh, why was Leafpool out gathering herbs?

"All right," She mewed, "Lie down, Spiderleg. We don't want the venom to poison your blood."

The black tom nodded his head, wheezing, and lay down. The two tiny pinpricks were visible, and Calicofur began to bind his leg with cobwebs, constricted the circulation.

"Did you kill the adder?" She asked.

Sandstorm nodded, dragging it over.

"Good."

Calicofur squeezed some venom out onto moss, and instructed Sootfur to soak the moss in water, to dilute the deadly liquid. As he did, she chewed some leaves into a paste, and spat it out on the moss.

"Take as much of this as you can," She told Spiderleg. The tom weakly licked it up, and finally began to sleep.

"He'll be fine," Calicofur murmured, and sat down to wait.

000

A few hours later, Spiderleg awoke.

"Thank you for saving my life, Calicofur," He croaked, looking up at her. Calicofur's pale blue eyes met his amber ones. Both cats' eyes shone with something for a moment before looking down.

"You're welcome," She mewed demurely.

"No, really," He meowed, "I wouldn't be here without you."

She pressed her flank against his so that he would be warm-at least, that's what she told herself-and both cats fell asleep side by side.

000

_**So... what do you think about Spiderleg and Calicofur? Do they have a thing for each other? Should they? I already have my plans for them out, but vote!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey, I have a new forum for Sunlit Snowdrift and Invasion called Sun and Snow, please post there, I wanna see what you think!**_

_**Chapter Five: Secrets**_

_Dreamcloud panted, her sides heaving up and down. For some reason, they were much, much larger than usual. A spasm of pain shot through her, and she had to find water._

_Good. The lake._

_But when she took a drink of it, she screeched out in pain, for everything was going wrong. The water only made things worse..._

_As she collapsed, everything began to darken. But sympathetic green eyes looked upon her._

_"Silverstream?" She panted. But the she-cat only bowed her head sadly._

_"Help me..."_

_Windshadow bounded over and stared with a look of horror on his face._

_"Dreamcloud!" He cried, nudging her desperately._

_"Windshadow..."_

_And his mate's last breath was taken._

000

"NO!"  
Windshadow lept into a standing position, his green eyes wide and scared. Dreamcloud... she had been dying.

"What's wrong?" Applebird's hazel eyes showed worry.

"Nothing," He muttered, but was still trembling all over. Had he seen... had he seen the future?

"No," He hissed to himself, "Dreamcloud's strong. She won't die."

But Firestar... long ago, it was said that one of Firestar's infamous dreams had been of a silver queen leaving her kits. And a queen had died...

Wait...

That queen he had seen standing over Dreamcloud...

Dreamcloud had called her 'Silverstream'. And wasn't-

He halted, staring. For as Windshadow had been padding through the forest, a cat blocked his way.

"Yes, Windshadow," She murmured, "My name is Silverstream. I am the cat you saw in that dream."

At first, the tom was shocked, but then he bared his fangs at her. "Why didn't you help Dreamcloud?"

"It was just a dream."

"Yes... but will it be real?"

Silverstream looked at her paws, unable to answer. "I wish I could tell you," She whispered.

Windshadow glared at her. "So do I."

And he spun off.

000

Calicofur calmly picked up a sprig of mintleaf in her jaws, closing her eyes as she sucked in the wonderful scent...

But then, another scent hit her. This one was different, a cat's scent. It was Thunderclan, but mixed with something else...

"Calicofur."

The raspy purr made her spin around on her paws, to find a stocky gray she-cat. The flat face and amber eyes revealed her for who she was, accompanied by the stars in her fur.

"Yellowfang..." Calicofur's blue eyes were wide open, and her jaw hung in awe. She had heard of the great medicine cat when she was a kit from Cinderpelt, who had been mentored by the old cat.

"Hello, young one," Yellowfang meowed, her eyes sparkling with kindness and intelligence.

"H-hello!"

"Calicofur," Yellowfang meowed, "Every truly great cat is guided specially by Starclan. Firestar was, the cats who brought us here... Leafpool, Dreamcloud, Windshadow. And now you."

"Wait," Calicofur mewed, "I have a question. Are Dreamcloud and Windshadow still-"

"Yes," Yellowfang murmured, "You must help them. It is your destiny."

"Why me?" Calicofur blurted out, digging her claws into the ground. "Mothwing is still in her youth, and Leafpool's nowhere _near _retiring. Why not them?"

"Mothwing..." Yellowfang looked uneasy. "Starclan isn't sure about her. She, like her father, is ambitious, and-"  
"But she's Brambleclaw's half sister!" Calicofur cried, "He's a hero! And Tawnypelt as well!"  
"Yes," Yellowfang whispered, "But she also had Hawkfrost as a full brother. Her mother was from Bloodclan, and her father was Tigerstar. We have watched her, and... and she isn't the right cat for this job."

"As for Leafpool," She continued, "You never know where or how our paths may end."

"You don't mean-"

"I don't know."

Calicofur blinked nervously. Yellowfang wasn't revealing enough. That meant one thing.

Something was wrong.

000

Dreamcloud began to pad back to camp, when a strange wailing hit her. She quickened her pace to find Grassflower, mother of Palelegs, moaning, many of her friends comforting her.

A sickening feeling came to the pit of Dreamcloud's stomach.

"What's wrong?" She asked, racing up to Calicofur, who was standing next to Leafpool, looking worried.

"Palelegs... she's gone." Calicofur's blue eyes were wide with fear.

"What do you mean, 'she's gone'?" Dreamcloud demanded.

"She means," Firestar growled, walking over, "That Palelegs has vanished."

Dreamcloud's amber eyes widened. "She can't be gone!" She cried, "How?"

"We don't know," Leafpool said gently, "She didn't come back from hunting, so we sent a patrol out for her. There was nothing."

Grassflower's wails grew louder in her anguish, and Dreamcloud laid down, feeling numb all over. She laid her head on the ground. Her former apprentice, the cat she had helped... gone.

That's when a thought struck her.

That day... when Cloudtail was hit by the stinger... did that have something to do with the Palelegs' disappearance?

She would have to tell Windshadow. Warn him.

000

"Windshadow!" Dreamcloud whispered loudly, hiding in the bushes. The tom stood up straight, his ears pricked. He turned his head to her.

"Dreamcloud? What are you doing here?"

For some reason, relief shone in his pale green eyes. She padded up and pressed her muzzle against his, briefly forgetting why she was here.

"You seem worried," Dreamcloud commented.

"It's nothing," Windshadow sighed.

"Well," She said, remembering, "I have news. Palelegs is missing. And... I think two legs stole her."

"WHAT! That already happened!"

Dreamcloud shrugged. "History can repeat itself."

000

_**R and R, my pretties! And remember, go to my forum!**_


	6. New Weapon

_**Forum: Has new topic.**_

_**Chapter Six: New Weapon**_

Dreamcloud blinked contentedly as she watched the Clan bustle around. At least, that's what it looked like. Inside, her nerves were clashing, and she wished that she didn't have to laze about as a queen.

"Dreamcloud?" She lifted her head to see Cherrypaw, a sweet, shy gray tabby apprentice, standing in front of her, mouse dangling from mouth. Oh, yeah. Apprentices hunted for her when she was a queen...

"I caught you some fresh-kill," Cherrypaw murmured, shuffling her paws around. Dreamcloud blinked with friendliness. She got this reaction a lot with apprentices because of the whole Sun and Snow thing.

"Thank you so much," She purred, a sharp hunger suddenly tugging at her stomach. Cherrypaw dipped her head respectfully, but there was something in her eyes that showed that she felt bad about something.

"You're Sandstorm's apprentice, aren't you?" Dreamcloud asked. She just had a hunch that Sandstorm had something to do with it. Cherrypaw was silent for a few moments before bursting out,

"Some of the warriors think that Sandstorm should retire!"

Dreamcloud stiffened. Not only was Sandstorm her grandmother, but she was one of the closest cats to her. And though she was a senior warrior, she was still full of vigor and strength.

"Who wants this?" Dreamcloud hissed, her fur bristling and tail swishing back and forth.

"I'm not sure on all of them," Cherrypaw muttered, "But... Ashfur, definitely. Rainwhisker, Sootfur-which is causing a rift, because Sorreltail is totally against her retiring-. Oh, and Robinpelt."

Dreamcloud froze, and her eyes widened. Robinpelt... one of her closest friends... Cherrypaw looked embarrassed when she realized what she said.

"Oh! I'm sorry... He's your mate, right?"

Dreamcloud almost forgot to nod. "Why do they want this?" She meowed.

"Well," Cherrypaw thought aloud, "Maybe they're jealous. Sandstorm is much older than them, and is still one of the best warriors in the clan. And they may also think that Firestar favors her because she is his mate."

"That's not true!" Dreamcloud cried, "Firestar favors no one in particular! He's very fair, we all know that."

Wait... could these thoughts about Sandstorm lead to a rebellion against Firestar? They didn't need that at the moment!

"Does Sandstorm know?" She asked.

"Yes." Cherrypaw's whisker's twitched in amusement. "She overheard them talking this morning, and gave them a good clawing over the ears. But Firestar doesn't know."

"It's not others' rights to decided when a cat becomes an elder," Dreamcloud murmured, "It's the cat themselves who makes the choice. Not even the leader does that."

Cherrypaw nodded in agreement. Sandstorm's call came across the clearing, and she dipped her head again to Dreamcloud in good bye. "I'm glad I told you, Dreamcloud. I know you'll think of something."

And she bounded off.

Dreamcloud kneaded the ground with her paws. Would she be able to think of something? It seemed like the weight of the Clans was on her shoulders again-and on Windshadow's. Just in the worst possible time, too. Dreamcloud gazed at her still flat stomach.

"I won't let you down, my dears."

xxx

Calicofur closed her eyes as she lapped up some cool water from the lake. She loved coming here to relax.

"Hello?"

With a startled cry, Calicofur whirled around. An amused expression appeared on Spiderleg's face.

"Jumpy, aren't you?" The tom purred, padding over to her side.

"You surprised me," Calicofur mewed, defending herself, but at the same time touching noses with the black and brown tom. Spiderleg's amber eyes met her sky blue pair for a moment, and she then looked down.

"Why'd you come here?" She asked.

"I tracked you," Spiderleg replied, "You know how it is-we're back to the escort thing."

Calicofur wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Oh, yeah," He remembered, "You weren't born then. Back when the two legs first came here, we were in constant danger."

"Kind of like we are now," Calicofur pointed out wryly. Spiderleg began to shrug, but then froze, sniffing the air.

"Calicofur, run," He muttered.

"Wha-" She began, but he bowled her over just as a monster came screeching into view.

Calicofur shivered at the sight of the awful creature. She hadn't seen nearly as many as Spiderleg had.

"Just flatten yourself down to the grass," Spiderleg hissed, "They may not see you."

Obeying, Calicofur huddled up next to her. The monster halted, and three twolegs hopped out. They were barking around, and carrying long, gray sticks.

"What are those?" Calicofur whispered.

"I... I don't know," Spiderleg murmured, "I've never seen them before."

That made Calicofur's blood run cold. If Spiderleg, a survivor of the first twoleg invasion, had never seen these... things, than that meant there was a new threat.

Suddenly, one twoleg began muttering to it's fellows, pointing...

Right where Calicofur and Spiderleg were hiding.

"Calicofur!" Spiderleg cried, "Now!"

This time, she lept up and began to sprint. The twolegs aimed the sticks at her, and stingers whirred through the air.

Wait... turning her head, she realized that Spiderleg was not with her. The black tom was crouched in his hiding place, darting around and narrowly avoiding stingers.

"Spiderleg!" Calicofur yowled, trying to get back to him.

"No!" He spat, "Calicofur, don't-"

A twoleg aimed it's stick at Calicofur, and she remembered Cloudtail... soon, she'd be wherever Palelegs was...

A white blur came and sank it's claws into the twoleg's leg.

"Windshadow!" Calicofur breathed in releif. She heard a familiar yowl, and saw Dreamcloud, ready to pounce.

"No," Calicofur meowed, blocking the queen's way, "Your kits!"

"I have to help him!" Dreamcloud's amber eyes were clouded with worry.

"What's going on?"

Windshadow had bought Spiderleg enough time to slip to Calicofur's side, and his face showed confusion.

Before anyone could respond, the twoleg began to brutally beat Windshadow with his stick.

"Windshadow!" Dreamcloud cried, racing forward, "No!"  
The tom valiantly stayed in position for a moment, but soon fell to the ground, limp, just as Dreamcloud attacked, spitting.

"Did you hear me?" Calicofur hissed, grabbing the younger cat by the scruff of the neck, "You can't! And it'll be better to get Windshadow to a medicine cat, right?"

Finally, Dreamcloud dipped her head in agreement and rushed up to the white tom, passing her tongue over his forehead.

"Please," She murmured, "Windshadow, wake up!"

But the tom was still. His sides were slowly rising up and down, and there was only a gash that was bleeding, but internal injuries were almost as obvious.

Calicofur quickly evaluated the situation. How did they get Windshadow to safety before the twolegs tried again, and without injuring him more?

"All right," She ordered, "Spiderleg, you and I will support Windshadow between us, kind of get him in a standing position even if he's still unconcious. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Dreamcloud, you go back to camp and alert Leafpool and Firestar about this."

For a moment, the ginger queen was silent before finally whispering, "All right."

She raced off.

Calicofur was worried as she supported Windshadow. His injuries were bad, and he was larger than both she and Spiderleg.

"Calicofur," Spiderleg whispered, catching her eyes. "Don't worry. We'll make it. Windshadow'll make it."

"I hope so."

xxx

_**Well, there we go! R and R!**_


	7. Not the Only One

_**People are asking if I can switch POVs through chapters like in the New Prophecy, but I'm afraid it doesn't work with the story well... sorry:)**_

_**Chapter Seven: Not the Only One**_

Dreamcloud had never ran so fast in her life.

Of course, Calicofur or Leafpool would be chiding her about this, but who cared? Windshadow needed help. Now.

Luckily, Leafpool and Firestar were speaking right when she came into camp.

"There's an injured Shadowclan warrior that Calicofur and Spiderleg are bringing in," Dreamcloud panted, "There were Twolegs... these stick things... He saved them! Please help him, Leafpool!"

"Of course I will," Leafpool said, "If it's all right with F-"

"Yes, do it," Firestar growled, "He helps us, we help him. I can't let a cat die when he did nothing to us, let alone saved two of my cats."

Dreamcloud blinked at both of them faithfully. "Let's just hope that they bring him back in time," She murmured, a quaver audible in her voice.

Leafpool turned her head. Her feather had a strange look in his eyes as he observed Dreamcloud. Worry.

Oh no.

He couldn't be suspecting...

Could he?

xxx

"You're doing good, Windshadow," Calicofur meowed, even though she knew the white tom couldn't hear her.

"So are you, Calicofur," Spiderleg murmured, looking into her eyes for a moment. She looked at her paws as they trudged on.

"Spiderleg-" She began, but he cut her off.

"Your friendship means a lot to me," Spiderleg mewed awkwardly, "Just so you know."

Calicofur felt a prickle run down her spine.

_But could it be more?_

She had to ask Dreamcloud about this. It couldn't be more. Medicine cats weren't allowed to have lovers. It was forbidden. Starclan would punish them...

And she came from a well respected family. Her grandfather was Whitestorm, the former deputy, a cat who died in the Bloodclan battle. Her parents were Sorreltail and Brackenfur, well respected warriors, as was her brother, Robinpelt. She would shame them all...

Finally, she heard pawsteps. Her ears pricked, and she sniffed the air. Good. A patrol.

"Help!" Calicofur called desperately.

Quickly, four cats appeared. Cloudtail, Birchpelt, Sandstorm, and Cherrypaw.

Sandstorm's eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

"This Shadowclan warrior must have heard our cries when we were being attacked by Twolegs," Spiderleg said, "He helped us, but got badly injured. We need to take him back to camp."

Sandstorm, who had been leading the patrol, gave a quick nod, and walked over to help. The three other cats came as well, and soon, they were back at camp.

Dreamcloud was the first to see them, and raced up, Leafpool at her side. They helped drag Windshadow into Leafpool's den.

"All right," Leafpool murmured, "Calicofur, press some cobwebs to that gash, and keep them there 'til the bleeding stops."

"Will she be needed much after that?" Firestar asked sharply, padding into the den.

"Not for a while, no. Why?"

"I want someone to alert Shadowclan about this, and it would be best to send a medicine cat. Will you do it, Calicofur?"

The apprentice gave a quick nod. "Of course, Firestar." She then wrapped some cobwebs around her paw and pressed it to Windshadow's gash. The blood soaked through, but they still held the bleeding, until finally, it stopped. Carefully, she removed the cobwebs and turned to Leafpool.

"The bleeding stopped," She mewed, "May I go now?"

"Yes," The medicine cat replied, not looking up from her patient. Turning her gaze to Dreamcloud, pain stabbed at Calicofur's heart. Her friend was crouched down, her pelt touching the Shadowclan warrior's.

That had to mean something.

_I'll ask her about it later._

Calicofur was just about to walk out of the den, when Spiderleg rushed up.

"You'll need an escort," He insisted, "It's dangerous."

Calicofur found herself touching noses with him. "Thank-you. That's very kind."

As the two walked off, their pelts were touching. Little did they know, that a couple of cats were watching them.

xxx

Calicofur flinched as the tom drew back his lips in a snarl.

"What are a couple of tresspassers doing on Shadowclan territory?" Oakfur snarled.

The senior warrior had found her and Spiderleg crossing the border, and cornered them.

"She's a medicine cat!" Spiderleg spat, "Don't you recognize her? Don't you smell the herbs on her fur, you fool?"

Oakfur looked like he was about to lunge, when a voice called:

"Oakfur? Oakfur, what are you doing, attacking a medicine cat?"

A tortoiseshell she-cat padded up, her green eyes looking apologetic.

"Hello," She said, "I'm Tawnypelt. Sorry about Oakfur. But might I ask, what exactly _are _you doing here?"

"One of your warriors was injured helping us," Calicofur said.

"Why was he helping cats who aren't in his own clan?" Oakfur growled.

Calicofur felt anger rising up in her. "There were Twolegs!" She spat, "He was doing a noble thing!"

"Yes," Tawnypelt agreed, "But who was it?"

"Windshadow."

"He's our deputy!"

"Exactly."

"Oakfur," Tawnypelt meowed, "Go get Applebird. She'll want to come. You know she's Windshadow's closest friend."

After a moment, Oakfur nodded, raced off, and was back moments later with a frantic looking she-cat.

"Where is he?" She asked sharply, "Where's Windshadow?"

"Back at camp. Leafpool's treating him."

"Take me there."

xxx

Dreamcloud laid her head on Windshadow's shoulder. Never in her life had she felt this much emotion. Her mate-the father of her kits-might be dead.

Everyone but Leafpool-of course-had left. Dreamcloud had seen the way her grandfather had looked at her. That suspicion...

"Do you think he'll be all right?" She asked Leafpool fearfully.

The tabby medicine cat looked worried. "I'm not sure," She finally admitted. "He's been unconcious this entire time. That isn't good."

A sudden voice made Dreamcloud lift her head quickly.

"What's going on?"

Robinpelt.

The tom's amber eyes showed hurt, but at the same time, there was no huge surprise. He padded over and sat down, his amber eyes on Windshadow.

"He's it, isn't he?"

Dreamcloud gazed at him for a moment. That love for her in his eyes hadn't faded. It was still there.

"Yes," She finally rasped, "His name is Windshadow."

Robinpelt was silent for a moment, as if he had convinced himself that what he thought wasn't true. But there. It had just been confirmed.

"He's lucky," Robinpelt whispered. Something told Dreamcloud that he would keep this a secret.

"I just..." She began, but trailed off. Robinpelt bent down, as if to touch his nose to hers, but then drew back, something clouding his eyes. Without a word, he turned and padded out.

"Our friendship is over," Dreamcloud murmured, sorrow in her heart. She had been so close to Robinpelt.

"Maybe it isn't," Leafpool reasoned, but even the optimistic medicine cat couldn't deny that the look in Robinpelt's eyes had been the look of a betrayed lover-even though he knew that Dreamcloud had never really loved him.

Gently, slowly, Dreamcloud passed her tongue over Windshadow's forehead, rythmically. She closed her amber eyes, wishing that everything was back to normal.

"Dreamcloud..."

Her eyes sprang open, and she found them looking into pale green ones.

"Windshadow?" She gasped, then quickly pressed her muzzle to his. "You're awake!"  
"I'm awake," He replied steadily.

"Well, then," Leafpool mewed, "Now that you're awake, you should be fine. I'll let you two have a moment."

As she padded up, Windshadow lifted his head and gave his mate's ear a lick. Dreamcloud purred, touching her nose to his.

"Windshadow! Thank goodness!"

Quickly, they drew apart as Applebird came rushing into the den. The ginger she-cat quickly crouched down beside him and pressed her muzzle into his white pelt. Firestar was sitting in the entrance of the den, his eyes set on Dreamcloud, a critical look in them.

"I was so worried," Applebird purred. Windshadow looked a bit awkward, but meowed back:

"Well... I'm fine."

His eyes were on Dreamcloud, who had quickly drawn back. There was a slight arch in her back as she stared at Applebird, a contemptuous look in her eyes.

"Thank-you for helping us, Windshadow," She meowed, her voice formal. "I'd better go now."

As she padded out, she almost collided with a gray tabby, and she quickly leaped back.

"Birchpelt!" She exclaimed, "Sorry, sorry..."

The tom's eyes were amused. "It's all right."

But the amused look disappeared when he spotted the Shadowclan she-cat bent over Windshadow.

"Applebird..." He murmured. There was something in his eyes. Was it... regret?

xxx

"So Windshadow can go home?" Applebird asked.

"Just keep him off of his warrior duties for a few suns," Leafpool replied steadily, not intimidated by the larger, more outgoing she-cat.

"Russetstar won't like tha-"

Dreamcloud stepped forward, her eyes blazing, faces inches away from Applebird's.

"We really don't care what Russetstar thinks about that," She hissed, "Do you want him to get injured again?"

Looking offended, Applebird was silent for a moment before saying, in an icy voice, "Come take a walk with me, Dreamcloud."

Leafpool looked up at the setting sun, wondering what Starclan thought about all of this. Nothing.

Dreamcloud could feel the contempt pratically _oozing _from Applebird as they padded through the forest.

_If you want to play that game, _She thought to herself, _So can I._

"What do you want?" She spat.

"I don't think this affair you're having with Windshadow is wise." Applebird said evenly.

"Sure," Dreamcloud admitted, "It's not wise. Obviously. But that doesn't mean anyone can stop it." She narrowed her eyes, thinking about how Birchpelt had looked at Applebird...

"And you would know that as well as me, wouldn't you?"

Applebird flinched, and halted. She closed her eyes, thinking about what to say, and finally answered.

"Yes," She murmured, "And I also know what it usually ends with."

xxx

Calicofur settled down, ready to go to sleep.

But she couldn't.

Her mind was on Spiderleg, for some odd reason. Her fur prickled at the thought of this.

"Can't go to sleep, can't you?" Leafpool mewed, unable to keep a note of amusement out of her voice.

"Not really," Calicofur murmured.

"Just know... you're not the only one, Calicofur."

_What did she mean?_

xxx

_**K, R and R, everyone! Which pairing do you like most?**_

_**Calicofur/Spiderleg**_

_**or **_

_**Dreamcloud/Windshadow?**_


	8. Pushing

_**Chapter Eight: Pushing**_

The white tom yawned, showing rows of sharp fangs. The kits were gathered around him, their eyes wide in awe.

"Windshadow," One asked. "What's it like to be deputy?"

Windshadow stood, carefully stretching his limbs. He winced slightly. The tom was still a bit sore, but that didn't really matter, did it? He could get back to his duties.

Windshadow hated resting.

First and most importantly of all, Littlecloud was always making sure that he wasn't getting up to go somewhere, so he couldn't visit Dreamcloud. Second, Applebird was in charge of everything while he was gone, so she was barking out orders to everyone. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it, he just like being the authority. And she was always checking on him. ALL THE TIME.

"Treekit," Windshadow began thoughtfully. "It's... interesting. You never have a dull moment."

He touched noses with the little brown tabby kit, Tallpoppy's grandson. "Maybe one day, you'll be deputy."

The kit's still-blue eyes widened in excitement.

Windshadow blinked affectionately at the kits, then prowled toward the entrance of the camp. That's when a familiar ginger she-cat blocked his path.

"Where are you going?"

"Applebird," Windshadow sighed. "I'm better now. I can-"

"I still see a bit of a limp going on," Applebird decided. "Go see Littlecloud and ask him."

Rolling his eyes, Windshadow walked toward the medicine cat den, careful to make sure that he wasn't limping.

"You look b-" Littlelcloud began, but then was cut off by the tom.

"Better? I know. Applebird just doesn't seem to believe me, the bossy thing."

Littlecloud's eyes twinkled. "Well, maybe she has her reasons," He reasoned.

Windshadow felt his heart sinking. "Uh... what do you mean?" He asked feebly as Littlecloud checked him over.

"How would Cinderpelt handle this...?" Littlecloud muttered to himself. "Ah, yes. In case you haven't noticed, Windshadow, Applebird is _very _fond of you."

Windshadow stiffened. "Is she now?"

That would explain a lot.

"Yes," Littlecloud said. "I wonder who was the father of her first kits."

"I'm only a bit older than them!"

"I wasn't going for that, don't worry."

Windshadow looked down at his paws. This was complicated. Applebird was a great friend, but that's what she was. A friend. Not a cat that he could find himself with, especially since he was in love with Dreamcloud.

That's it.

Visit Dreamcloud.

xxx

Calicofur blinked hard as she chewed on the Burdock root. She hated the bitter taste of the plant, but it was excellent for rat bites.

"Sit still, Cloudtail," She muttered. The tom glared at her.

"It's not my fault that the stuff stings," He meowed.

"Well, it certainly isn't hers," A playful voice shot back. Dreamcloud padded into the den. Her stomach was now swollen-not too much, but a bit-with kits. But she still looked as fierce as ever in her eyes.

Cloudtail flicked his tail affectionately. Everyone seemed to like Dreamcloud, and not just because she was the Clan leader's granddaughter. She was, in fact, Cloudtail's kin, his cousin, and the tom had always spoiled her as if she was his own.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

Dreamcloud grimaced. "Same old, same old. Feel like I'm going to spit my food back out half the time."

Cloudtail purred. "That was what Brightheart used to say to me all the time."

"Well," Dreamcloud mewed, "Let's take the focus off of me. You're the one being poked and prodded by Calicofur. What happened?"

"I found a rat's nest."

"Oh. Enough said."

Calicofur glanced at Dreamcloud. "And why are you here?" She asked.

"I need something to soothe my stomach," Dreamcloud meowed. "Have anything?"

"Sorry," Calicofur purred. "The only thing to help that is getting those kits out of you."

"Another moon of this?"

Sighing, Dreamcloud began to pad off. Cloudtail's dark blue eyes sparkled. "You kind of have to feel sorry for her."

Calicofur dipped her head. But there was something deep inside of her. Jealousy? Was she jealous because Dreamcloud was expecting kits and she wasn't?

Couldn't be.

"There you go," She said to Cloudtail quietly. The tom thanked her and padded off to eat with Brightheart.

Calicofur suddenly bounded up to Dreamcloud's side.

"Where are you going?" She asked. Dreamcloud looked down at her paws.

"Don't follow me. Please."

xxx

Dreamcloud crouched down on the ground, waiting. Her swollen stomach was touching the smooth grass, and she yawned. Newleaf would be a nice time for her kits to be born.

"Dreamcloud?"

She stood at the familiar voice, and trotted up to the tom, pressing herself up against him.

"You're OK!" She purred.

"And you're fat," Windshadow noted. She swatted him with sheathed claws.

"You aren't supposed to say that to a queen, mouse-brain!"

Windshadow laughed, pressing his muzzle against hers. "It's a good kind of fat, furball! And you aren't supposed to swat deputies!"

Dreamcloud sat down and rested her head on his shoulder. "You aren't _my _deputy, so I don't have to do anything."

Windshadow licked her ear. "Of course." He meowed, deciding not to fight her on that one.

"How're your injuries doing?" Dreamcloud asked.

"Fine," Windshadow sighed. "Applebird's been worried about me." His eyes immediately showed after the sentence that he knew he shouldn't have said that.

Dreamcloud lifted her head. "Has she now?" She asked in a tight voice.

Windshadow shuffled one paw on the ground. "Sort of... you can't blame her. She _is _a friend."

Dreamcloud flicked her tail so the tip was on his mouth. "Sure," She hissed. "That's _all _she wants to be."  
Windshadow only had one thing on his mind at that moment:

Duck and cover.

"Just calm down," He soothed. "It's all right..."

"I know who the father of her kits is," Dreamcloud said abruptly.

"Who?" Windshadow asked, ears pricked. That subject had always interested him.

Dreamcloud's amber eyes glittered. "Birchpelt."

Windshadow was silent for a moment. "You sure?"

"Yes. She told m-ouch!" Dreamcloud stopped herself and looked angrily at her stomach.

"What?" Windshadow meowed anxiously. "Are you OK?"

"Yes," She sighed. "One of the kits just likes to kick a lot." She glared once again at her stomach. "Stop that!"

Windshadow purred and pressed his head up against her. "You are a very silly queen, you know that?"

Dreamcloud rolled her eyes. "What? You want a couple of squirmers in your belly?"

"No thanks!" Windshadow said quickly.

As they spoke, they had no idea that a pair of eyes was watching them. The watcher sadly slipped away.

Dreamcloud suddenly pricked her ears. "Do you hear that?"

Voices.

Carefully, the two stepped closer to the noises. Three cats were standing atop a hill. The hill was steep, and had rocks at the bottom. Dangerous. It was a hunting patrol, Dreamcloud realized. Sandstorm was leading it, with Ashfur behind her.

Dreamcloud didn't like the look on Ashfur's face. In fact, truth be told she had never liked the tom. Probably because of her family history with him.

"We should call Robinpelt back," Sandstorm said.

"He heard there were more rabbits back there," Ashfur reasoned.

"And he isn't exactly the best rabbit hunter, is he?" Sandstorm shot back. "And you aren't the leader of the patrol."

"That bossy attitude is exactly why I'm doing this," Ashfur muttered. Or maybe he didn't say anything... who knew!

"I'm going to go get those mice," Sandstorm decided, beginning to walk down the hill. But as she was about to say something else, she didn't.

Because her words were turned into a yowl as Ashfur pushed her.

xxx

_**R and R!**_


	9. Criminal

_**Please check out my new story, 'Heart of a Warrior'!**_

_**Chapter Nine: Criminal**_

Calicofur stared up at the blue sky. She wished that it was nighttime, so that she could see Silverpelt. Maybe Starclan could guide her on what to do.

It seemed impossible. Dreamcloud, her friend, seeing a cat from another clan. And yet, all the signs had been there. The ginger queen had been friendly to Windshadow at the Gathering... overly friendly, almost. She had walked off... had been so worried about him...

"Are you all right?" A gentle voice asked.

Calicofur wasn't surprised when she turned to find Spiderleg. The tom's amber eyes were kind and soft as he looked at her.

Maybe that's what she had been jealous of. Dreamcloud had a lover-even though it wasn't allowed-and she didn't.

At least...

"I'm fine," Calicofur murmured. She looked up at Spiderleg. "How's newleaf going for you?" She asked.

"Good," He said. "Excellent time for kits to be born. Who's expecting around this time?"

"Whiteleaf's kits are two moons old now," Calicofur said, relaying the names through her head. "Crescentface in going to have hers any day now... and Dreamcloud's are in a moon."

"Good."

"M-hmm."

Calicofur lay down. "Any she-cat you are fond of?" She asked. "Lightfur is interested in you. I can tell." Spiderleg looked awkward, as if he wasn't sure what to say. It was obvious by the look on his face that he wasn't interested in Lightfur at all.

"She's pretty," He finally said. "But not my type."

His eyes were on Calicofur as he said 'my type'.

Calicofur quickly stood as they heard the voices of other cats in the camp. It was Palelegs and Thornclaw. The pair were talking, their amber eyes on each other.

"Newleaf is obviously taking it's affect on cats," Calicofur observed. Once again, she couldn't keep the jealousy out of her voice.

"It certainly is," Spiderleg purred.

"Calicofur!"

The apprentice turned to find Leafpool near the entrance of camp, yowling her name.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I would like you to come and scout for herbs with me."

"Er," Calicofur stuttered. "I'd better go now..."

Spiderleg dipped his head in farewell.

As they padded through the forest, Calicofur felt tension rising from Leafpool. Something was bothering her mentor. Had she seen her and Spiderleg together?

"Try pansies for adder bites," Leafpool noted, flicking her tail toward the flower. "Chew it up and dilute it with water."

"Pansies?" Calicofur echoed in surprise, at the same time picking a few sprigs of it.

"Yes, pansies," Leafpool snapped. That was unusual. Usually, the medicine cat was very mellow...

"Don't fall in love with him, Calicofur!" Leafpool suddenly cried.

Calicofur jerked her head up. "W-what? Who?" She asked, pretending to not know what Leafpool was talking about.

"Spiderleg," Leafpool murmured. "You know you're falling in love with him. Calicofur, it's forbidden..."

The calico cat ignored her, pawing some leaves around.

"You have no idea what I'm feeling, Leafpool."

It was disrespectful, but still. How could her own mentor accuse her of something so strange.

Because it was true.

"Yes, I do," Leafpool mewed. "And Calicofur... the clan doesn't need another affair."

xxx

"No!" Dreamcloud whispered, leaping forward. Windshadow brought his large paws down on her.

"We can't," He murmured. "We'll be found out for sure."

"But she's my grandmother..."

Rage and horror was building up in Dreamcloud. How could Ashfur do this? He had been a respectful warrior until this deed.

He had mentioned Robinpelt. The gray tom must've sent him away for this. If Robinpelt had been there, he wouldn't have let Ashfur do that. He wanted Sandstorm to retire, not to kill her...

"Good riddance, elder!" Ashfur spat down the hill.

There was no reply.

"The foxhearted badger," Windshadow hissed. "What I would give to scratch his eyes out..."

Finally, Ashfur's footsteps faded away, and the two cats rushed out to the hill.

"Sandstorm!"

The pale ginger she-cat was lying in a dusty heap at the foot of the hill. Her eyes were closed, and-

"No!" Dreamcloud cried. "Windshadow, is she breathing?"

"I... I don't know." The tom said hoarsely.

"What's going on?"

Dreamcloud tensed, but then relaxed as she recognized Robinpelt's scent. The tabby tom was padding over to them.

"Have you seen Ashfur and Sandstorm?" He asked. "I was going after a rabbit, when-" His lip suddenly curled as he recognized Windshadow.

"Oh. You."

Windshadow hissed, unsheathing his claws.

"Robinpelt knows." Dreamcloud stated.

"Great."

Both toms' pelts were bristling, and they looked ready to attack each other at the very moment.

"Windshadow, Robinpelt!" Dreamcloud exclaimed. "This is no time to be fighting!" Her eyes met Robinpelt's. "Sandstorm..."

The tom rushed to the edge of the hill, and saw the she-cat's broken body.

"Did... did she fall?" He rasped. "Is Ashfur going back to fetch a medicine cat?"

"No," Dreamcloud spat. "He pushed her down."

Robinpelt's eyes widened. "It can't be..." But his face denied his beliefs. He knew. "The-"

"Look!" Windshadow suddenly meowed. "I think she's breathing!"

Without hesitation, Dreamcloud began to lope down the hill, her round belly swinging. Windshadow bounded to catch up, soon beside her.

"Robinpelt!" Dreamcloud cried. "Tell Leafpool that Sandstorm is injured! And alert the clan about Ashfur!"

Sandstorm's sides were rising up and down in quick, short breaths. Her eyes opened as slits.

"Dreamcloud?"

"Yes, Sandstorm, I'm here." Her granddaughter murmured. "Windshadow, go. Before the others come."

"But-"

"Go."

After giving his mate a quick lick, Windshadow was gone.

"I... I fell," Sandstorm croaked.

Dreamcloud's heart sank. Her grandmother didn't remember properly.

A few moments later, a panicked voice came from above.

"Sandstorm?"

The elderly she-cat lifted her head. "Firestar?"

The flame-colored tom's head poked out from up above.

"Sandstorm!" He cried, rushing down at full speed toward his mate. Once he was down, he pressed his head against hers, murmuring something to her.

Quickly, the rest of the patrol appeared. Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw, Leafpool, Robinpelt. All surrounded the injured cat.

"Does everyone know?" Dreamcloud whispered to Robinpelt. He shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. Whiteleaf interrupted me when I was speaking to Firestar. I think Ashfur knows we know."

"Good."

xxx

_**R and R! Remember, check out 'Heart of a Warrior'!**_


	10. Vows and Confessions

_**I noticed I feature Palelegs in the last chapter... She's still missing... But there IS something going on between her and Thornclaw, you'll see.**_

_**Chapter Ten: Vows and Confessions**_

Dreamcloud paced back and forth in front of the medicine cat den. Robinpelt watched from above, his eyes sad. She was beautiful, and powerful.

He could never have her.

Carefully, he flexed his claws. Maybe there was a way to get Dreamcloud to be his...

To make the cat who did a crime pay.

xxx

_The twoleg gave a yowl, beating Dreamcloud viciously with his stick. She hissed, defending the tiny faces below her. _

_"Get away, crowfood!" She snarled, slashing her claws into him. But nothing seemed to stop the Twoleg. He kept bringing the stick down on her again and again..._

_"Windshadow!" Dreamcloud yowled suddenly, seeing his body a few feet away._

_That's when the faces were scooped up, and taken away..._

"Don't take them!"

"Dreamcloud!"

Her eyes sprung open to reveal a worried looking Whiteleaf.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"Yes," Dreamcloud murmured. "Fine."

She stood an stretched, then remembered the events of yesterday.

"Sandstorm!" She hissed, bounding out of the nursery at full speed.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted the pale ginger she-cat sitting up with bright eyes, speaking to Firestar.

"Oh, thank goodness," Dreamcloud mewed to herself. But there was still a problem to be solved...

xxx

"Windshadow, wait! I want to talk to you!"

The white tom closed his eyes slowly, and kept them closed for several long moments before turning to meet...

Applebird.

Of course.

Her hazel eyes were hopeful, for some reason, and she gestured for him to follow her with her tail. Reluctantly, he nodded, and they padded into the forest.

"Windshadow," Applebird began. "As I imagine _Dreamcloud _told you, I used to see Birchpelt of Thunderclan."

Windshadow spoke slowly. "She told me."

"And _she _is what I wanted to talk about."

Oh no.

"I know from firstpaw experience that relationships between two clans never work," She sighed. "I mean, look at Silverstream and Graystripe, all those moons ago."

Windshadow had to give her that. The story of those two was quite infamous in clans.

"Are you asking me to stop seeing Dreamcloud?"

"Exactly." Applebird's eyes glowed softly, and she looked at her paws. "Dreamcloud isn't the only she-cat who cares for you, Windshadow."

His eyes widened. This was REALLY getting old. Why did he have this issue that he couldn't find a NORMAL mate? Spottedleaf had been fond of him, and of course there was now the one he loved himself, a spastic queen with a temper, and now a she-cat he only thought of as a friend? His former mentor?

Sure, he had known about Applebird being fond of him, but he had pretty much put it off till now.

"Applebird," Windshadow choked out. "Dreamcloud is expecting kits."

Applebird lashed her tail back and forth. "You can wait till they're born," She reasoned. Pain flickered through her eyes. "That's what Birchpelt did with me."  
That's when it hit him. He knew why Applebird cared for him so! Windshadow touched his nose playfully to hers, and looked her in the eye.

"You're still in love with him."

"With who?" Applebird asked casually, but the look in her eyes gave it away.

"Birchpelt."

She nearly felt the urge to rake her claws down his muzzle. "I do not have feelings for the mouse-brain," She spat. "Leaving me with his kits, alone, never even to speak to me at Gatherings."

"See? I've never seen you speak that way."

She simply hissed.

"I'm guessing that this means you aren't going to stop seeing Dreamcloud."

Windshadow brushed his tail friendlily across her face as he walked past her.

"Not a chance."

xxx

"I promise you," Dreamcloud meowed, still pacing. "I'll find the cat who did this, Sandstorm, and make sure he gets what he deserves!"

Of course, she knew exactly who had done it. But how could she prove it. Ashfur was a respected warrior, and Dreamcloud was a young queen.

Still...

"Sun and Snow," She muttered to herself. Dreamcloud had been the only one to know that Windshadow was innocent all those moons ago. Maybe they would trust her word over his...

"Firestar-" She began, stepping forward. But a cat raced up in front of her.

Ashfur.

"Firestar," He panted. "I'm so sorry about all of this! I took my eyes off of her for one second-"

"Stop talking like I'm an elder!" Sandstorm spat, her pale green eyes glowing with annoyance.

"Now, Sandstorm," Firestar laughed, touching her shoulder with his tail. "He's just worried."

"Yes... I am," Ashfur replied quickly.

_Shut your mouth, crowfood, _Dreamcloud thought angrily to herself.

She then padded up toward Ashfur.

"Ashfur," She asked. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

The tom dipped his head, and she lead him to behind the nursery.

"Look," Dreamcloud snarled, her tone not so friendly anymore. "I know what you did to my grandmother, so don't even try to-"

"So glad you brought this up," Ashfur purred. "I thought I would have to... And it's such an awkward conversation..." A murderous glint came to his eyes. "I smelled you after I came back there, Dreamcloud. And that Shadowclan cat too."

"W-what?" She gasped. Dreamcloud had nor been expecting this.

"Now," Ashfur continued. "We wouldn't want anyone to know about you're little affair correct? And if you need more force, then I'm sure you wouldn't like it if I did something to you, right?"

Her jaw dropped.

"You wouldn't dare harm a queen expecting kits! It's ag-"

"Against Starclan's will? Exactly."

Dreamcloud glared at him for a long moment. "The Clan will find out on it's own, if not from me," She finally spat, beginning to pad off. She would have braved his challenge anyway, if it weren't for the kits...

_Flashback_

_"You want kits, don't you? With Robinpelt."_

_  
"Why would you ask a question like that?"_

_"Curiosity."_

_End Flashback_

Oh... she remembered that day. Dreamcloud sat down, thinking lazily about when her kits were born. Only one more moon...

xxx

Windshadow yawned as he watched the apprentices bring in the fresh-kill. One, Stripedpaw, carefully placed his rabbit at Russetstar's paws. She dipped her head in thanks, and then began eating.

What a warm, newleaf day it was. Everything seemed so nice. So peaceful...

"Russetstar! What's happening to her?"

Peace over.

Whirling on his paws, Windshadow found a horrifying scene. A terrified Stripedpaw staring in shock, his leader writhing on the ground. Russetstar's amber eyes were set in front of her, and foam was coming from her jaws. A wordless screech of pain was being torn from her.

"Littlecloud! Nectarflower!" Windshadow called, coming to his leader's side. "Calm down, Russetstar. Be still."

But the leader was in too much pain to be still.

The medicine cat and his apprentice suddenly came racing over, herbs in their mouths.

"I think there was something in her food," Windshadow continued as they inspected her.

"I didn't do it!" Stripedpaw cried.

"I know you didn't. Don't worry."

Suddenly, before Littlecloud could even treat her, Russetstar was still.

"Wait!" Windshadow cried. "Her lives..."

Littlecloud's eyes were sad. "There's twoleg poison in the rabbit. Sniff it."

Carefully, Windshadow brought his nose to the prey and took in a deep whiff. Yes. The bitter poison was definitly there.

The shock hit him.

"You mean... Russetstar's dead?" He croaked.

"Yes."

"I'm leader?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Oh no."

xxx

"Thanks for coming with me," Calicofur murmured shyly to Spiderleg. The tom licked her ear.

"Don't worry."

He seemed very nervous, as if he wanted to say something. But what?

_Please don't let it be what I think it is._

Spiderleg looked around the forest.

"Calicofur," He murmured. "I know this is forbidden, you being a medicine cat, but.."

"Spiderleg-"

"I think I've fallen in love with you."

xxx

_**FINALLY! So, who do you think should give Windshadow his nine lives? Tell me, I need ideas!**_


	11. Answers

_**OK. I know Ashfur is WAY OOC-or is he?-but I hate him, so any cat can have a dark side. I mean, nobody knew Crowfeather had a sweet side till he showed it. Plus...**_

_**did I mention I hate Ashfur? Lol. Plus, I'm having ideas for Windshadow's leader ceremony...**_

_**MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!(coughs)**_

_**Chapter Eleven: Answers**_

"Lightfur!"

The she-cat turned to find Dreamcloud racing up to her.

"What is it?" She responded in an icy tone.

Dreamcloud's amber eyes showed confusion. "I was just wondering... you seem so distant lately."

"Let's see," Her friend hissed. "First, you have no time at all to even speak to me. You're either slinking out of camp, or hanging out with that medicine cat apprentice. Second... you aren't the only one around her all the time."

"Oh..."

Dreamcloud kneaded her paws nervously. She had seen the way Lightfur looked at Spiderleg. She had also seen the way he looked at Calicofur.

"I mean, he isn't even _allowed _to think of her that way!" Lightfur sighed. Dreamcloud touched noses with her friend.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing," She lied. "And I'll try to spend more time with you."

"_Who _are you spending your time with, anyway?" Lightfur asked. Dreamcloud felt a prickle run through her fur.

"Nobody," She meowed quickly. No need for anyone else to know...

xxx

"I'm going to be Clan leader," Windshadow was muttering to himself. "I'm going to have to help Starclan out with twolegs. I'm going to be the father of half-clan kits..."

He glared up at Silverpelt. "Thanks a lot."

"When are you going up to the Moonpool?" Came a soft, familiar voice.

Applebird.

Windshadow stepped quickly to the side as she walked over to him. She had that affectionate look in her eyes that said that Birchpelt wasn't the only cat she cared about.

"In a few suns, according to Littlecloud," He said quickly. Other things were on his mind, like who would give him his nine lives. Hopefully, his brother, Magpiepaw(AN: Who has gone through many names, but will settle on this one) would be there.

"Has Littlecloud figured out what kind of poison killed Russetstar?" She asked. He shook his head, sorrow in his eyes. Russetstar had been buried moments ago.

"Whatever it was, I'm sure it was twoleg poisoning. They say the rabbits were poisoned last time."

"They were," Applebird said. "I was just a kit when it happened, but they were. But still... it never acted that fast."

A crashing sound came to reach Windshadow's ears. Some kind of clumsy animal must have been going through the forest. He opened his mouth to take in the thing's scent, and his eyes widened.

"Applebird," He hissed. "It's them!" The tom suddenly began racing back to camp as fast as he could go.

"Twolegs!" He yowled at the top of his lungs. "Twolegs invading the camp!"

Cats began to sleepily wander out of their nests, and looks of sheer panic came across their faces when they realized what he was saying.

"Get the queens and kits first!" He cried to his warriors. "Get the elders as well."

The camp was caos. Queens calling for their kits to follow, elders moving as fast as they could, warriors and apprentices ushering them out, Littlecloud and Nectarflower trying to collect as many herbs as they could...

That's when a twoleg came.

He was brandishing his stick, trying to fire the stingers, but luckily, was missing. Windshadow bared his fangs in snarl at the creature. The twoleg bared his teeth as well and fired, but the white tom nimbly avoided it.

The Clan was racing away, into the forest, and were all gathered around. Suddenly, a wail came. It was Littlecloud.

"Nectarflower isn't here!" He cried. Windshadow hissed and began to run back to camp, desperate to get the apprentice back.

But he skidded to a halt.

A twoleg was scooping up Nectarflower's still, unconcious body and depositing it in a cage. Windshadow's eyes widened in disbelief, but it was too late.

Nectarflower had been stolen.

xxx

Calicofur stared. She knew that Spiderleg had been about to say it, it was just... she loved him too. But it was forbidden. They couldn't be together. It was impossible.

"Sp-spiderleg!" She choked out. The tom's amber eyes were filled with dread, and he looked desperate.

"I know it's against the warrior code," He said quickly. "But look at the others! There have been many who've done this, and-"

"And that doesn't make it right," Calicofur murmured, brushing her tail tip against his shoulder. Her sky blue eyes were soft. "I'm sorry, Spiderleg. It just can't be..."

The tom was silent, before murmuring, "I understand."

And he was running off faster than she'd ever seen him run again. Calicofur gazed up at the evening sky.

"Starclan!" She cried. "Why are you doing this to me? To us?" She felt a pang of sorrow for her friend, Dreamcloud. Both of them were battling between their hearts and the warrior code. She had seen guilt in the queen's eyes... "You let us fall in love, but with cats we aren't allowed to be with! What is wrong with us?"

"Nothing is wrong with you, Calicofur."

She whirled around to see two she-cats watching her. Yellowfang and Spottedleaf. The two medicine cats who had fallen in love. Would she be like them.

"Maybe this is in your path, Calicofur," Spottedleaf murmured. "Your destiny. We all have destinies. Dreamcloud destiny is being laid out, just like yours."

"Spiderleg truly loves you," Yellowfang meowed gruffly. "Give the tom a chance."

"Maybe it's for the best."

"I can't," Calicofur whispered. "I can't be like... like you. Like Leafpool. I want to have a chance as a medicine cat."

"Is it worth all the heartache for you, Calicofur?" Spottedleaf asked. "Is there a chance you can balance it all out?"

"There can't be."

"Don't give up."

xxx

"You look... shaken," Dreamcloud commented, taking her eyes to Windshadow. The tom sighed.

"I guess I should tell you..."

"What?" She asked.

Windshadow met her eyes. "Russetstar is dead," He meowed. "I'm going to be leader."

Dreamcloud was silent in shock for a moment before replying. "Congratulations," She murmured, pressing her muzzle against his.

"Something's bothering you," He guessed.

"Nothing," She said quickly. "I'm happy for you. This just creates..."

"More problems?"

Dreamcloud looked at the ground. "Windshadow," She mewed. "If somebody finds out about this, then you'll be the leader with half-clan kits. You might be exiled!"

"Bluestar had half-clan kits."

"Yes. But she was dead when they found out."

"We'll just have to deal with it," Windshadow said firmly. "We want kits, so we'll have to look past it all."

"They might not even be able to meet you when they're older!"

"Gatherings."

"I'm Firestar's granddaughter," Dreamcloud sighed. "Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw's daughter!"

"And I'm Blackstar's son," Windshadow reasoned. "Why are you having problems with this _now_?"

She shrugged. "I don't know... this just brings things to focus."

Windshadow pressed his head to hers. "I'm not going to let us end up like Birchpelt and Applebird."

xxx

Calicofur watched as a night black cat padded up to her, a tom. She was in a grassy meadow. The cat was lean and fast-looking, a strong warrior.

"Who are you?" She asked sharply.

The tom watched her silently, pelt as dark as night. He looked down at the ground, and suddenly, a little spider scuttled over. It's legs were very long.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Calicofur asked. "Is it-"

She was speechless when a scrap of fur-_calico_ fur-floated down from the sky to rest beside the spider. The tom fixed his gaze on them. Suddenly, the breeze blew the fur away, and a small beam of light came. The spider now crawled over to the light.

"I don't get i-" But Calicofur broke off again as the tom began to fade, eyes sad. What was he trying to tell her?

That's when she realized something.

The tom's eyes were exactly like hers.

xxx

_**What do you think the message meant? Windshadow's leader ceremony next!**_


	12. Nine Lives

_**Chapter Twelve: Nine Lives**_

"Well," Windshadow said cheerfully. "I'm the son of an accursed cat, but at the same time, I think I've had pretty good behavior besides the whole-" He cut himself off, shooting a nervous glance at Littlecloud, who was looking slight suspicious.

"The whole what?"

"Other things!"

Littlecloud rolled his eyes as they approached the Moonpool. Windshadow had been nervously chattering the whole journey, and he was really getting sick of it.

"Now," He meowed. "Take a few laps of the water, and that should do it."

Obediently, Windshadow touched his tongue to the icy liquid, quickly taking a couple gulps. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"Littlecloud?" He began nervously. "It isn't wo-"

That's when he realized that Littlecloud wasn't there. And that he still wasn't the only one in the area.

"Welcome, Windshadow."

He immediatly recognized Yellowfang.

_"Guess it worked."_

_The old gray she-cat gave a rusty purr of amusement. "Windshadow," She said. "You have proved yourself worthy of becoming a leader, even though you are so young. You have trained to become the best you can be, and though there are... what did you call them? 'Other things'? you are still worthy of nine lives."_

_She stepped back into the ranks of Starclan._

_Windshadow felt a stab of pain as a gray tabby shape padded up._

_"Magpiepaw," He murmured. His brother, having died of sickness at such a young age... But Magpiepaw looked better than he had ever seen him. The smaller cat flicked Windshadow's shoulder with his tail._

_"Brother," He meowed. "It is so nice to see you again."_

_  
"Same here," Windshadow croaked._

_Without another word, Magpiepaw stood up taller-for he was shorter than Windshadow-and touched his nose to his brother's forehead._

_"With this life I give you wisdome beyond your years," He announced. "Use it well for the difficulties ahead of you."_

_Windshadow felt a wrenching pain go through him. Memories flashed through his head. Memories of playing, but in Magpiepaw's point of view. It felt like a weight was one his chest, he was so weak..._

_"Father?"_

_"Eat these, Magpiepaw," Blackstar soothed. "They'll help you get better."_

_He rolled a few bright red, beautiful berries toward Magpiepaw. Two of them. The tabby dipped his head and began to eat..._

_  
Wait..._

_Why couldn't he move?_

_  
What was happening?_

_"Blackstar!" Magpiepaw cried out in pain. "Father..."_

_  
But Blackstar only stared, emotionless, as darkness swept over Magpiepaw._

_Windshadow jerked his head up. "Blackstar..." He hissed. "Our father! He fed you deathberries!"_

_"He knew that nobody had told me what they were," Magpiepaw whispered, sorrow in his voice. "You were stronger son, Windshadow. The one he feared, and yet was proud of at the same time. I was a weakling, and it was perfect. Come to me at night..."_

_"You were his son..."_

_  
"In his eyes, I was a failure."_

_Without another word, Magpiepaw turned and left. Windshadow was breathing hard. How much more sorrow would he have to go through?_

_"I'm sorry you had to see that," Yellowfang murmured. _

_A second cat stepped forward, this one a tiny kit, no more than two moons old._

_"Windshadow..." She breathed in a voice that was too mature for her._

_"Er... no offense, but who are you?" Windshadow asked. He was a bit horrified and saddened to see a kit this small, a pretty little black and white she-kit, here in Starclan so young._

_"I knew you wouldn't remember," The kit sighed, and looked up at him with milky blue eyes. "My name is Cottonkit. If... he... hadn't done what he did to me, I would be a warrior by now, Cottonbreath. Windshadow... Magpiepaw wasn't the only cat Blackstar killed."_

_Windshadow's eyes widened._

_"You're my... my sister?" He croaked._

_"Yes." She whispered. "Half sister. We met once, when he brought me to camp. But you were too young to remember. I was the kit Blackstar had with a rogue. He didn't want anybody to know he had sired anything but pure Shadowclan kits, so... he killed me. Just like he killed my mother. Another one of your queens had me for a while, and named me. But not for long."_

_Unable to take it anymore, Windshadow crouched low to get his second life._

_"With this life I give you innocence. Never leave it behind, no matter who you love."_

_What Windshadow saw in that life he blocked out for the rest of his life._

_His eyes widened as another younger cat stepped forward. Grief filled his voice as he spoke._

_"Nectarfoot!"_

_  
She stepped closer to him. "Don't blame yourself, Windshadow. It was my time to go. I was sick, and I knew it, but I didn't want to tell anyone. The Twolegs knew I was sick, and they gave death to me in the easiest way. I felt no pain at all.:  
"You mean they're taking the sick, and killing them?" Windshadow asked angrily. Nectarfoot shook her head._

_"No. They take all cats they can."_

_"What do they do with them?"_

"That I cannot tell you."

Without another word, she touched her nose to his forhead. "With this life I give you healing. Use it well for the ill."

_More pain._

_The next cat to come was Whitethroat, a cat from long ago. Windshadow had heard stories, and couldn't believe that this cat was giving him a life._

_"Traitor!" He snarled. Whitethroat gave him pleading eyes._

_"I made the wrong choice, Windshadow. I know that. Just give me a chance to give you a life that will teach you a lesson."_

_  
Windshadow sighed and obliged._

_"With this life I give you good decisions. Do not make the bad ones I made."_

_Whitethroat's life was filled with fear, pain, and cofusion._

_The next cat was Nightstar, the cat whose inability to ask for help caused his demise._

_"With this life I give you learning. Never stop learning."_

_Nightstar's life was actually uneventful and painfully boring compared to the others', but Windshadow took it._

_Next was Yellowfang. She stepped forward, slight sorrow in her eyes. Why?_

_"With this life I give you caring," She whispered. "Use it for the cats in your clan, and the ones out of it, if you know what I mean."_

_Fire flashed before Windshadow's eyes. He winced at the slight burning, but it was nothing compared to what Yellowfang really must have felt._

_That's when two cats stepped forward that he had never expect to see. _

_One was Brokentail._

_And the other was Blackstar._

_"You aren't supposed to be here!" Snarled a warrior. Many cats spat as they passed._

_"Wouldn't want to miss the most important ceremony of my son's life," Blackstar hissed. _

_"And I'm here to finally meet my best friend's kit," Brokentail agreed. Before any cat could do a thing, he stepped forward._

_"With this life I give you battle skill," He said, eyes glittering. "Use it well."_

_Before Windshadow could dodge, he was receiving the life._

_"It's too late!" One cat cried. "Now we must let them continue the ceremony!"_

_Blackstar padded up._

_"My son. My only worthy kit. My murderer."_

_"You're the only murderer, fool!" Windshadow spat. "You killed your own kits!"_

_  
"Yes. And I'd do it again if I could," Blackstar snarled, touching his nose to his son's forhead. _

_"With this life I give you deception. Use it well for your enemies."_

_Windshadow wanted to reject the life, but he couldn't. It was too late. He opened his eyes, then glared at his father._

_"Go back to your cursed hunting grounds. Both of you."_

_  
"You won't be the last cat to get lives from a cat who's not in Starclan," Blackstar spat before stalking off, Brokenstar at his side._

_There was a long silence._

_"We hail you by your new name, Windstar," Yellowfang whispered._

_'WINDSTAR! WINDSTAR! WINDSTAR!"  
**xxx**_

_**R and R! **_

_**Next Chapter Info: Dreamcloud plagues Windstar with mood swings while he adjusts to life as leader, and Calicofur gets jealous, and wonders about the black tom she dreamed of.**_


	13. Envy

_**Chapter Thirteen: Envy**_

"I feel like dirt," Dreamcloud moaned, lying down on her side. "I hate this."

"So that's why I chose to be a medicine cat," Calicofur purred. But as she said this, she looked at her paws. Spiderleg hadn't spoken to her since the day she had rejected him, and she kept seeing the black tom's sad eyes in her head. How they had mirrored her own...

"You know," Dreamcloud whispered, standing and letting her eyes travel all over the medicine cat. "Sometimes, I get scared about this whole thing. Really, truly scared."

Calicofur gently touched noses with her friend. "It's all right," She murmured. "You can be scared. It's natural."

"Not just about the kits," Dreamcloud sighed. "What if somebody finds out about... you know. Like Firestar. I'm his granddaughter. It isn't right..."

"Has Starclan spoken to you about it?" Calicofur asked lightly. She could sense that her friend's job was far from over.

"No."

Shaking her head, Dreamcloud stood and walked off.

"Poor thing," Calicofur muttered to herself.

Poor thing.

xxx

Dreamcloud stepped as lightly as she could, so that she would not be heard. Unfortunatly, she was very clumsy with her swollen stomach. Her eyes lit up in delight when she saw the familiar white tom.

"Windshadow!" She exclaimed, picking up her pace. He seemed dazed.

"It's Wind_star_," He corrected gently. Dreamcloud skidded to a halt in front of him and dipped her head in respect.

"I forgot."

Windstar's eyes widened, and he pressed his head against hers. "Don't act like that, Dreamcloud," He pleaded, begging her.

"You're a leader," The queen sighed. "I need to treat you with more respect."

Windstar twined his tail in hers. "This is me," He assured her. "Don't worry."

Dreamcloud was still silent for a moment, then looked up, that spark he loved back in her amber eyes.

"Congratulations!" She purred, giving his ear an affectionate lick. "Did everything go all right?"

"Fine," Windstar replied. He looked thoughtful. Windstar knew that he shouldn't be speaking of what happened, but...

So what?

"There was a little _something_," He admitted. "Just tiny."

"What?" Dreamcloud asked, worry now showing on her face.

"There were two cats who weren't supposed to be there," Windstar meowed. "Brokentail... and Blackstar."

Dreamcloud's eyes got huge. "What?" She cried. "Don't tell me they gave you lives."

"Well," Windstar meowed. "They kind of did."

"There's no 'kind of' to it."

"Then they did."

Windstar nodded.

Dreamcloud slowly sat down. This was not good. Not good, not good, not good.

"How could they have done that!" She cried. "This is horrible! This could cause something very, very wrong-"

Windstar faintly remembered the days that Dreamcloud had been rational. Oh well. Applebird had warned him that this would be happening...

"Are you listening to me?" She wailed.

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course. Continue."

xxx

"Would you like to share with me, Lightfur?" Spiderleg asked tentatively. Calicofur watched, her eyes searing into the tabby she-cat with envy. To her outrage, Lightfur looked delighted.

"I'd love to," She murmured, crouching down so that she was face to face with Spiderleg. Calicofur couldn't help letting a hiss escape her as she turned back to Leafpool's den.

The one problem was that Leafpool wasn't there.

"This isn't right," She muttered, looking all around. Leafpool must have gone to look for herbs... but it still didn't comfort her that she was gone.

"Firestar," She called as the tom walked by. "Have you seen Leafpool?"

His eyes were worried. "I was just about to ask you the same question."

Calicofur kneaded the ground with her paws. She spotted Squirrelflight speaking to Brambleclaw, and padded up.

"Have either of you seen Leafpool?" Calicofur asked.

They both shook their heads.

"I haven't seen her all day..." Squirrelflight's eyes suddenly widened.

"Not again."  
xxx

"Windstar!"

Windstar winced-again. He really needed to get cats off of his back about who would be deputy...

"I'M THINKING, OK!" He yowled, whirling around to-

Oh.

Applebird.

She seemed stunned. "Er... I was just going to ask you who you want to go on the hunting patrol."

"Sorry," He meowed, flicking her shoulder with his tail. "How about you go with Adderfoot, Cedarheart, and Treepaw?"

Applebird dipped her head and padded off.

Sighing, Windstar walked up to his new den and lay down. Who could possibly be deputy? Adderfoot would be one of his top choices. The tom was young and strong. But then, he hadn't had an apprentice yet. Applebird was a great warrior, but there was awkwardness he didn't need in making her deputy.

"Windstar?"

A tortoiseshell she-cat that Windstar knew well padded into the den, then halted, her green eyes asking his permission.

"Come in, Tawnypelt," He meowed.

"I was wondering if you would like any patrols sent out to look for Nectarfoot. I mean, I thought it would be best, but-"

Windstar closed his eyes halfway through her speaking. He hadn't told any of the Clan that Nectarfoot was dead.

That Twolegs had killed her.

"Tawnypelt," He began cautiously. "When I was recieving my nine lives, I saw someone there..."

Sorrow entered the she-cat's eyes when she realized what was going on.

"Nectarfoot."

"Yes," He answered. "Just... don't tell anyone yet."

"You have my word."

As the warrior walked out, it hit Windstar. Tawnypelt was the perfect cat to be deputy! She was trustworthy, sensible, intelligent...

In fact, why hadn't Russetstar made her deputy in the first place?

It would make things a lot easier...

After stretching, Windstar bounded out of his den and yowled for a meeting. All the Clan gathered around, guessing what this meant.

"I have spent much time thinking about this," Windstar yowled. "And I have decided that Shadowclan's new deputy will be... Tawnypelt."

Yowls of approval immediatly filled the camp. Tawnypelt looked stunned, but happy.

"Thank-you, Windstar," She purred. "I am honored to accept this position."

As the other warriors congratulated her, one didn't. Windstar avoided Applebird's hazel eyes, and quickly sprinted into the forest, hearing her behind him.

"Why did you choose her?"

A deaf cat could have heard the double meaning in her words. Windstar sighed and turned to face her.

"Which 'her'?" He asked.

Applebird looked at her paws. "Both. But Tawnypelt first."

"I chose Tawnypelt," Windstar said. "Because I feel like she is the one meant to be deputy right now. She has more experience that both of us. And there's also the fact that you... you know."

"And Dreamcloud?" Applebird's eyes showed challenge.

"I chose Dreamcloud," Windstar answered firmly. "Because I love her. It's simple. And there's also the obvious fact that _you _aren't over Birchpelt yet."

xxx

_**Who would you like a plushie of most?**_

_**A) Windstar**_

_**B) Calicofur**_

_**C) Dreamcloud**_

_**D) Robinpelt**_

_**I shall count the votes and then will send out plushies in the order of popularity to anyone who reviews.(winks) But vote, anyway.**_

_**ME HAVE GIGANTIC PLUSHIE MACHINE!**_


	14. Treachery

_**Dreamcloud plushies to: Raincloud's Legacy, Mistystream Longtail's Loyalty, Halfpelt, Leopardheart, Spottedcloud, Miragestar, Frostpaw and Duskspirit. Now, vote again on which of three remaining cats should be the next plushie!**_

_**A) Windstar**_

_**B) Robinpelt**_

_**C) Calicofur**_

_**Oh, and vote, even if you voted for a different cat before. EVERYONE VOTE!**_

_**Chapter Fourteen: Treachery**_

Applebird glared at Windstar before turning swiftly and beginning to pad off. But the tom was too fast for her.

"You're just using me to get over him," He said, then added sarcasm to his voice. "That really hurts."

"Toms," Applebird muttered.

"Now," Windstar meowed. "You go over to Thunderclan territory and apologize. Or get him to apologize. Or whoever did what to a different cat."

Applebird shook her head. "You know you're encouraging things that are against the warrior code."

"Do I _look _like I follow the warrior code every second of my life?" Windstar asked.

"Not really.

xxx

"You seem moody," Dreamcloud commented to Calicofur.

"Of course I'm moody," Calicofur hissed. "My mentor is missing!"

"And," Dreamcloud laughed, twitching her tail toward a pair of cats. "Spiderleg is spending so much time with Lightfur. That can't be what's bothering you, can it?"

Calicofur was silent. She then noticed Thornclaw speaking to Firestar not far off.

"No," Firestar insisted. "We can't lose more cats, Thornclaw."

"But Palelegs-and the others-are out there!" Thornclaw protested. "Who knows how long it'll be before we can risk anything to find them!"

Firestar was silent, and it was obvious how hard it was for him not to send out a patrol to look for Leafpool. His daughter was missing again. His mate had recently been injured.

"Look," He sighed. "I want to find them as much as you do. But-"

"Please let me!" Thornclaw begged. Calicofur's pelt prickled as she realized why the golden tabby tom wanted to go.

"He's not very subtle, is he?" Dreamcloud commented. "He's obviously in love with Palelegs."

Calicofur shifted from paw to paw, nervously. Dreamcloud gave an amused purr.

"Not very subtle at all."

xxx

Julianna Morgan, or Julie, was an annoying little Twoleg. Eight years old and obsessed with cats, she was always visiting the animal shelter.

"Julie," Her mother said desperatly, pointing to a ginger and white cat. "How about that one?"

The cat, a female, was crouched in a corner, yellow eyes glaring, ready to strike out with her claws at any time.

Palelegs.

"I WANT A WHITE ONE!" Julie screamed, stamping her foot. Palelegs flattened her ears. Starclan, this kit was loud... obviously, no one had taught her any manners, the way she was treating her mother...

Sandra Morgan, Julie's mother, whiped a bit of sweat off her brow. Every single time they came here, even though many new cats had been coming in, they never found a cat that Julie wanted.

"Excuse me," She said quickly, stopping a worker, Patsy Jenkins, as she walked by. "Do you have any white cats?"

"Sorry," Patsy said sympathetically, gazing at a crying Julie. Poor woman. "We almost got a couple, but they got away."

"Where are you getting all these anyway?" Sandra asked, watching the frightened cat in the kennel.

"The forest is overrun by ferals," Patsy sighed. "We decided it was best to go out with tranquilizer guns, catch a few, get them as tame as possible, and give them new homes." Her eyes lit up. "The other day, we went out to this one area, and it was FULL of cats. There was a huge white male with green eyes that's pretty cool. We've seen him before."

"How about this," Sandra said quickly. "As soon as you catch that cat, GIVE HIM TO US."

Patsy shrugged. "Sure, as long as he isn't sick. I mean, we got one instead of him, pretty young. She had Feline Leukemia, so we had to put her down."

Sandra nodded, signed a few forms, and began to drag Julie away.

"We'll get him," Patsy yelled behind her.

"I WANNA WHITE KITTY!"

xxx

"Thornclaw's missing," Brambleclaw reported to Firestar. The ginger tom sighed.

"He probably went after Palelegs. He's not going to want us to find him, so look for well hidden tracks. Take a patrol out, and take Cloudtail, Brackenfur, and... Ashfur with you."

Brambleclaw nodded and went to collect the other cats.

Dreamcloud watched carefully, her eyes narrowed, as the gray tom began to walk off with the patrol. His dark blue eyes didn't show any sign of the murder he had attempted.

"He's probably planning something again," Came a hiss. Dreamcloud turned to see Robinpelt. The tabby tom was watching Ashfur carefully.

"I don't like him being on a patrol with my father." He stated.

Dreamcloud dipped her head in response. "I'm going to talk to Sandstorm about this."

"Are you sure she'll even remember?" Robinpelt asked. "It doesn't seem likely."

"She might."

The pale ginger she-cat looked pleased with herself as she stretched her limbs in Leafpool's den. She was almost ready to leave. Dreamcloud trotted over.

"Sandstorm," She began. "How are you?"

"Fine." Sandstorm replied. She looked confused. "Why?"

Dreamcloud sighed, sat down, situated herself so that she WASN'T about to fall over on her stomach, and looked her grandmother in the eye.

"Look," She whispered. "Do you remember anything before you were pushed?"

"Well..." Sandstorm thought. "I remember Ashfur telling Robinpelt to go hunt somewhere else, and then I was about to go downhill t-"

Her eyes widened as she realized what she had come upon.

"You saw, didn't you?" She mewed. Dreamcloud nodded. "He pushed me, didn't he?"

"Yes, Sandstorm," Dreamcloud sighed. "He did."

Sandstorm lept to her paws, pain forgotten, tail lashing. "We must tell Firestar about this! Who knows who Ashfur will try to kill next!"

Dreamcloud's eyes lit up, and she matched Sandstorm's pace step by step as they walked over to Firestar's den.

"Sandstorm, Dreamcloud!" He sat up, and stared at both of them. "You," He said, nodding toward Sandstorm. "Should be in Leafpool's den. And you," a nod toward Dreamcloud. "Should be resting."

"We will later!" Dreamcloud hissed, ignoring the fact that Firestar was her leader. "We have something important to tell you!"

"What is it?"

"Ashfur pushed me down the hill!" Sandstorm cried. "It's all coming back to me!"

Firestar's eyes widened in shock, and he was silent for a moment before answering.

"I won't make the same mistake as Bluestar," Firestar murmured. "I trust both of you. We'll hold his trial at sunset."

xxx

Cats gathered around the highledge for the meeting as Firestar's yowl sounded around the camp.

"I wonder what's going on," Calicofur whispered to Dreamcloud. "He looks like it's urgent."

"You'll see," Dreamcloud growled, her eyes on Ashfur.

"I have recently been alerted by Sandstorm and Dreamcloud to treachery," Firestar began. Murmurs went around the camp.

"What kind of treachery?" Robinpelt asked. He caught Dreamcloud eyes with his.

"Attempted murder of a cat of their own Clan."

Now there were gasps. It had been a while since that had happened.

"Sandstorm, Dreamcloud," Firestar said. "Why don't you tell the story."

All eyes turned toward them, and Dreamcloud felt like crouching down, unsure of what they'd think.

"On that day that Sandstorm, Robinpelt, and Ashfur went on a patrol," Dreamcloud started. "Sandstorm didn't just fall."

Silence. Ashfur's dark blue eyes widened in realization, and he flattened his ears.

"I was pushed," Sandstorm said harshly. "While Robinpelt was gone, I was pushed downhill by Ashfur. He planned to kill me because he wanted me to retire."

More gasps, and hisses directed at Ashfur.

"Wait!" It was Ferncloud, her pale green eyes wide and unsure. "I thought _you _said you fell."

"I thought so," Sandstorm admitted. "But I remembered."

"Ashfur," Firestar asked coldly, his eyes burning with an angry light. He was no longer just a Clan leader. He was a cat who's mate had been injured, and he wanted to get back at the criminal. "What do you have to say about this?"

Ashfur was silent, and his eyes darted all around at the questioning faces of cats. Robinpelt caught his gaze and glared, so he finally spoke.

"Yes," He hissed. "I did try to kill Sandstorm. She's old. Her great grandkits are only a moon away from being born. She needed to retire or die."

Yowls of outrage sounded, and Firestar lept down from Highledge in one fluid motion, snarling. Dreamcloud joined him, not caring that she was a queen, fur bristling, and Squirrelflight as well, even Leafpool.

"Calm down!" Brambleclaw growled, stepping forward. But he unsheathed his long claws-Tigerstar's claws, the claws he even shared with his own daughter-threateningly. "We don't want this getting out."

"True," Firestar admitted grudgingly. "But-" he glared at Ashfur. "-you are exiled, Ashfur. You have till moonhigh to be out of our territory."

Ashfur spat, and began to stalk off. He gave Robinpelt a long stare as he did. Dreamcloud was puzzled. What was that about?

Two cats had hurt looks on their faces. His adopted brother, Cloudtail, and his sister, Ferncloud. But finally, he disappeared into the forest...

xxx

_**I decided to let Dreamcloud have claws like Tigerstar,**_

_**A) Because that would rock.**_

_**B) Because she needs them.**_

_**C) It'll play a part in the story.**_

_**Anyway, R and R!**_


	15. Capture

_**Hey, I have another new forum topic in Sun and Snow! It's like Predictions for the actual books, but for the Sun and Snow series. Please post! I want to see what you guys think is gonna happen in Invasion and the upcoming installments!**_

_**Chapter Fifteen: Capture**_

"I can't believe that it was proven that fast!" Windstar said eagerly. "Most of the time, it seems like it takes us forever to prove that someone's evil!"

"Yes," Dreamcloud purred. "I'm just glad that he isn't around at all. Think of what would happen if he were around when the kits were born." She shuddered. "But I can't help thinking that it was odd for him to do it. He seemed so nice."

Windstar shrugged. "You never know."

Suddenly, that familiar clumsy crashing reached their ears.

"Run!" Windstar yowled.

"But what about you?" Dreamcloud cried, terror in her eyes.

"I'll be fine, just r-"

That's when the Twoleg was right on them, stick in hand. He bared his fangs and got brought the stick up to his shoulder, aiming...

"Dreamcloud!"

Right as the dart flew, Windstar shoved his mate out of the way, but was too late for himself. He gave a sharp cry of pain as the dart hit his side.

"No!" Dreamcloud screeched, and was relieved when her mate ran at her side. But as the two fled, Windstar's steps began to falter, 'til suddenly, he halted.

"This dart-it's weakening me," He rasped, breathing hard.

"You must go on!" Dreamcloud whispered, nosing him.

"I can't," Windstar slowly sank to the ground.

"Windstar!"

Barely concious, he looked up into her amber eyes. "Take care of our kits, Dreamcloud."

"I love you," She murmured.

"Same... here.." He sighed, before closing his eyes.

"Windstar? Windstar!" Dreamcloud desperatly nudged him, trying to get her mate up. But nothing seemed to help him. Suddenly, the sound of the Twoleg came. With one last look at Windstar, Dreamcloud rushed to hide in the nearby bushes, watching.

The Twoleg barged into the clearing at full speed, then stopped at Windstar's body. Dreamcloud let out a sharp gasp as the Twoleg took the white tom and stuffed him into a strange wire nest. Barely a nest, a trap!

Pain filled her heart as her mate was taken away. Would she ever see him again.

xxx

"C-Calicofur?" Came a voice, weak with shock. Calicofur sat up in her nest and saw a cat standing outside, bathed in the moonlight.

"Dreamcloud?" She asked. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I went to see Windstar," Dreamcloud whispered, her amber eyes showing more pain than Calicofur thought was possible. "And a Twoleg came... they stole him, Calicofur."

The medicine cat apprentice's body stiffened in shock. Windstar? But he had seemed so invincible... Sure, Calicofur didn't know him that well, but the tom was the same size as Firestar at such a young age, as strong as Tigerstar had been in his day.

"You're joking."

Fire blazed in Dreamcloud's eyes. "Do you THINK I would joke about something like that?"

"No," Calicofur admitted. What kind of cat _would _joke about that?

Dreamcloud laid down on the ground, staring, eyes glazed. "I don't know what to do, Calicofur," She sighed. "I want him to be here so badly... but maybe being with the Twolegs will keep him safe."

Calicofur flicked her friend's shoulder gently with her tail. "He'll be back, Dreamcloud," She decided. "He'll be back in time to see his kits be born."

xxx

Windstar opened his eyes slowly. At first, everything was blurry, but slowly, he took everything in. He was lying on cold, hard, rock-like ground, and there was mesh all around him. The place smelled like a few other cats, but mainly Twolegs. The faint sound of dogs barking sent him to his paws, fur bristling, fangs snarling.

"Hello!" Came a friendly voice. "What's your name?"

He turned to see a young tom, no older than an apprentice. He was a tuxedo colored cat with yellow eyes.

"You shouldn't feel so bad," He purred. "You're one of the lucky ones; they didn't take you to the vet."

Windstar didn't answer, watching the tom with careful eyes. The cat had to be a kittypet. What was a vet?

"You're the biggest cat I've ever seen!" The young cat suddenly exclaimed, then looked embarrassed. "Sorry. It's just, the cats I see are usually pretty small."

Windstar finally spoke. "Where am I?" He asked.

"The shelter," The tom sighed. "My name's Tux, by the way."

Tux. Yep. Kittypet.

"You still haven't told me your name," Tux reminded him. Windstar's eyes widened in disbelief. An apprentice in the camp would wait before saying something like that, get permission...

"My name is Windstar," He said slowly, deciding only to reveal that.

"That's an odd name," Tux remarked.

"That's because you're a kittypet," Windstar sighed. "I'm a Clan cat. In fact, I'm the leader of Shadowclan."

"Oh!" Tux exclaimed. "You're one of the new cats they've been dragging in!" He backed away, eyes filled with fear. "No offense, but you kind of scare me."

"None taken," Windstar answered cheerfully. He would rather be feared than thought of as weak in a new area.

"There's another wildcat over there," Tux said softly, inclining his head to a nest across from them. A mound of light brown tabby fur was in a corner. The herbal scent reached Windstar immediatly.

"Leafpool?" He asked in surprise. The small she-cat whirled around, amber eyes showing surprise.

"Windstar!" She cried. "I can't believe it!"

"Neither can I," He agreed. "Have you found any way out?"

"No," She whispered. "This is so much different from the last place I was at..."

Windstar shook his head in frustration. "Are their any other Clan cats here?"

"Yes!" Came a voice. Windstar turned his head to see Palelegs, Dreamcloud's former apprentice, and in the nest next to her, Thornclaw. Nearby, he also spotted Warmpaw and Minnowtail of Riverclan, as well as Cavepelt of Windclan.

"So," Cavepelt, not known to be the friendliest of cats, growled. "A Clan leader here. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. First of all, you're a Shadowclan cat, second, you've never showed great promise. Blackstar's son..."

"Please," Minnowtail snarled. "He's the most promising leader they've had in moons."

The black she-cat looked him in the eye. "And I really do mean that," She sighed. "For once, your clan doesn't have a traitor or a rogue leading them. And it doesn't matter what your blood is, MANY cats have proven that wrong."

"Er... thanks," Windstar replied awkwardly. Even Minnowtail's apprentice was staring at her as if she was mouse-brained. But she was always an outspoken cat.

"Minnowtail has a point," Palelegs meowed. "We need a way out of here, and finally, we have a leader. And not just any leader." The ginger and white cat looked at him hopefully. "You still walk with Starclan specially, don't you?"

"Sometimes," Windstar admitted. "But I don't know what we can do." He sighed, and measured his words carefully. "I just want to get back to my mate. She's having kits soon."

"That's terrible!" Came a voice. A few nests away, Windstar spotted a light brown tabby she-cat. She had a strange scent to her, and her pelt was streaked with mud. She was pretty, he had to admit. But she also had the unique scent of a queen with kits to her.

"My name's Brook Where Small Fish Swim," She mewed. "Brook, for short. I come from the Tribe of Rushing Water-you know, in the mountains?"

Windstar dipped his head in recognition. "Yes, I know of it," He said.

"My mate used to be a Clan cat," She purred. "Stormfur. We have a three moon old kit, a little tom, so I sympathize. His name is Moon Where Clouds Part."

Windstar dipped his head in thanks. But as the cats fell silent, he wondered if...

If he would ever see his own kits.

xxx

**_R and R! And please post! I want to see what YOU think'll happen..._**


	16. Swift

_**Sorry to people not getting plushies, but everyone who reviewed gets a Calicofur one! All Windstar fans...**_

_**I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ONE OF HIM!**_

_**Nobody better vote for Robinpelt... Grr...**_

_**Chapter Sixteen: Swift**_

"If I stay here one more sun," Windstar declared in a blank voice. "I shall go crazy."

"It's not that bad," Tux squeaked, still terrified of him. "Much better than a few I've been to before..."

"How many times have you gotten away from your Twolegs?" Windstar asked in a bored tone.

"Oh, lots, I-"

None of the forest cats really absorbed anything after that.

That's when she came in.

"MOMMY! I WANT A WHITE KITTY!"

Windstar flinched against the yowling of the Twoleg kit who came waddling into the room. And literally, _waddling. _How much did those Twolegs feed their kits?

"We have a white cat!" Windstar didn't understand any part of the Twoleg language, but he was guessing that this was bad.

"Starclan help me!" He hissed, glaring up at the Twoleg kit. Now, Windstar, being our little Windstar, has seen a lot in his life:

Weird prophecies.

Starclan she-cat falling in love with him.

Falling for the she-cat he considered the most annoying thing on the universe. Who is also from another Clan.

And, last but not least, his father killing him and being brought back from the dead.

A very upsetting life, over all.

"Be very quiet," Brook meowed in her innocent way. "Maybe she won't see you."

Windstar shot her a glance. Lost cause!(AN: Sorry, wanted Brook to have a stupid moment)

"Ooh!" The kit gave a little yowl as her muddy brown eyes settled on Windstar. He met her gaze coldly, but this didn't seem to faze her as she ran over to his trap.

One of the larger Twolegs stopped mewing away to what looked like the kit's mother, and opened the nest. _My chance! _Windstar though, racing as quickly as he could toward freedom...

"Gotcha!"

He hissed as the Twoleg scooped him up, and unsheathed his claws. She gave a yelp of pain as he sliced through her flesh, and satisfaction filled his mind.

But it was too late.

Windstar's eyes widened as he was shoved into an even SMALLER nest, one where he could barely move.

"No!" Minnowtail cried. Windstar knew what she was thinking: if the one Clan leader in here was overpowered, what about them?

"Find a way out!" He yowled as the Twoleg jostled his nest away. "Find a way to get yourselves free!"

xxx

Calicofur watched as Lightfur and Spiderleg sat down side by side, talking animatedly about something she couldn't hear properly.

That's when she got closer.

"What'll we name them?" Asked Lightfur excitedly. At first, Calicofur was confused, when...

"I like the name Pinekit for a tom," Spiderleg answered, his amber eyes shining.

Oh.

Lightfur and Spiderleg... they were having kits...

Every single bone in Calicofur's body went like water. She felt dizzy. This couldn't be! The two had barely known each other, and they were having kits?

Slowly, tail dragging, she made her way to Leafpool's den. The tabby she-cat's sympathetic eyes showed that she already knew what was going on.

"I'm sorry," She mewed. "It must be hard."

"It is," Calicofur sighed. "But I'll get over it."

"You're lying," Came a hiss. They both looked ahead to see Dreamcloud padding toward them. Her amber eyes showed exhaustion mixed with sadness and confusion. Fear. "You'll never get over it. Trust me, I know."

Calicofur swiped her tongue over her pelt. She _would _get over it.

She thought.

xxx

"There's still hope, Dreamcloud," Came a soft voice. Dreamcloud jerked her head up, and looked around.

She found Silverstream standing in front of her. The she-cat's green eyes were kind and sad.

"Why are you wanting me to do this?" Dreamcloud asked. "I'm just a queen! I'm expecting kits... this surely can't be happening to me!"  
Silverstream sighed, and touched the she-cat's shoulder with the tip of her tail. "I know you're scared. But Dreamcloud, your days as a heroine are far from over. It's your destiny-"

"And destinies can never be changed?" Dreamcloud asked hotly, turning her back. "Not everything has to be the way Starclan thinks it should be, Silverstream."

"Hasn't your grandfather told you?" Silverstream meowed, coming to face her again. "Or your parents? Starclan doesn't rule. We read into things, but we don't control them. Do you think we would want a tom who's kits are soon to be born taken?"

Dreamcloud had to give her that.

"But there are many cats without kits who can do this!" She cried. "Calicofur, for one, is she-cat I'd recommend any day-"

"Calicofur is not sure of _what _she _wants _her destiny to be."

"Neither am I!"

Silverstream gazed at the younger cat's distress. "I know how you feel," She whispered. "Torn. Worried. Is this ever going to work out? What if..."

Dreamcloud blinked. That was pretty dead on...

"But if Starclan was really watching over me and Windstar," Dreamcloud murmured. "Would you let Twolegs do this to us? If you were really watching over Calicofur, would you let her heartache go...? My heartache?"

xxx

Windstar crept out of the nest, very cautiously, maybe they wouldn't just-

"KITTY!"

"No!" He yowled as the kit took him in her arms. She squeezed him to her chest so hard, that he couldn't breathe...

A bark-like laugh came.

Wait...

Bark-like?

Windstar twisted his head to see a gigantic... dog? Was it a dog? It looked a _bit _like one, but wilder, and its eyes were amber instead of brown. A female, with a strange beauty.

Finally, as the Twoleg let him down, he cautiously ventured to her.

"Don't worry, Clan cat," She said kindly. "I won't hurt you."

Her pelt was dark gray, and her face was intelligent. But as she spoke, Windstar saw long white fangs that could rip him apart with ease.

"How do you know what a Clan cat is?" He ventured.

"Midnight told me about you," She answered. "I was kind of like her apprentice."

Oh. Midnight, the legendary star-gazing badger that had helped the Clans. And that would explain why this dog(was she a dog?) could speak cat.

"My true name is Swift," The creature said. "I'm a wolf-hybrid. I know, I look mostly wolf, but I do have enough dog in me for these Twolegs to get me... you'll hear _them_ call me... Gracie." The wolf-hybrid wrinkled her nose.

"Windstar," He answered. "Shadowclan leader. How did they get you?"

"They tranquilized me," Swift replied. "And I was 'adopted' by them. Tongues come easily to me, so I speak better than Midnight in different languages, and I can understand quite a bit of Twoleg. Tranquilizing is when they get those stickers in you, and you fall asleep."

"Oh..." Windstar was dazed. "What about Midnight?"

Swift bowed her head sadly. "She died a few seasons ago during a harsh leaf-bare."

"Oh... sorry..."

Awkward.

"Anyway," Swift sighed. "You seem to be a sensible cat. And you have spunk under that fear."

"I am NOT scared of those mouse-brains!" Windstar's hot-headed personality shot through, and he saw the amused and teasing look in Swift's eyes, feeling embarrassed. She was a smart wolf-dog... good...

"Windstar," Swift said, touching noses with him, formal attitude gone. "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"And I have found a partner in crime," Windstar purred.

xxx

_**Our terribly charismatic Windstar made a friend! Yay! Anyway, I love wolves, so Swift HAD to go in... Thanks to Frostpaw, the ONLY person who posted!(glares at others)**_


	17. Plotting

_**WINDSTAR PLUSHIES TO EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY LEOPARDHEART!;)**_

**_Chapter Seventeen: Plotting_**  
"You know," Bob, Julie's father, commented. "I've never seen a cat and a dog that close."

Then his wife joined him in speculating as to why the dog and the cat were sitting close together, barking, yipping, growling, purring, meowing, hissing-you get it.

"It's almost like they're... plotting!" Leslie, his wife, said.

They were.

"I've already tried digging a hole through the back yard," Swift sighed. "And from what I understood of their threats, they were going to put something in that shocked me."

"Do they have that for cats?"

"I think."

"Ok. Plan B."

Windstar was finding himself really liking Swift. She was sensible, smart, and judging from the fact that she weighed around two-hundred pounds, better to have as a friend than an enemy.

"Has Starclan sent you any messages lately?" Swift asked. Windstar shook his head.

"Swift," He began hesistantly. "What do you believe in?"

"Well," She said thoughtfully. "I know there's a Starclan and a Tribe of Rushing Water. They've both spoken to me. But they aren't who I _follow_. I follow Skypack."

"Skypack?"

"My..." Swift looked embarrassed, and she stared at her large paws. Larger than any full dog's paws. "My ancestors from the wilder side of my family. I lived as a loner, you know. An outcast from the pack because of my wolf blood. Dog gangs didn't even accept me. You see, I come from up north, where Twolegs use sled dogs. My father was a lead dog, a malamute, and my mother was a timber wolf." She shrugged. "They met. I'm the result."

Windstar nodded sympathetically. He was thinking of Dreamcloud. Though she had excellent blood, it was blended with Tigerstar's blood. Her long claws were apparent from that. Swift was cursed in a similar way.

"I met Midnight in... interesting circumstances." Swift chuckled in amusement. "I was hunting, and she was about to become my next meal-"

"You were about to eat a _badger?_" Windstar asked in amazement.

"Yes," Swift barked. "It's natural for wolves, and, despite my dog blood, I was raised like one. Now, when Midnight started speaking my tongue-not very good, but reasonable-I knew that she was special."

Windstar dipped his head. "I would think so."

xxx

"Congratulations on Lightfur's kits," Calicofur murmured, avoiding Spiderleg's eyes. The tom seemed just as awkward as she.

"Thanks..."

Calicofur could feel, her heart breaking he said that. There was a spark of pride in his eyes. The spark you expected a tom soon to be a father to have.

"Will you go hunting with me for old time's sake?" Spiderleg meowed unexpectedly. Calicofur's eyes widened. What?

"Sure," She blurted out, then regretted it. This would not look good for Spiderleg, since she had seen the odd glances they had been given when they talked before.

As the two padded out of the entrance, she saw Lightfur, speaking to Dreamcloud. The she-cat's eyes were suspicious. Calicofur felt a pang, then felt Dreamcloud's amber eyes on her. More guilt. Who was Dreamcloud to side with? Which friend?

Once nobody in the Clan could hear them, Spiderleg began.

"I hope that you don't think I'm just thoughtlessly going into this," He said firmly. "I'm not."

Calicofur wanted to lash her tail and yowl at him that that was exactly what he was doing, but couldn't. She simply was silent.

"Calicofur..." Spiderleg mewed. "I've thought about it, and you were right. You're a medicine cat. We don't belong together. I love Lightfur, and she's having our kits. That's that."

"I never said I had a problem with it," Calicofur said between gritted teeth.

"But you act like you do-"

"I don't," She spat. "And you're a conceited furball if you think I do!"

Spiderleg watched her with his amber eyes, and finally muttered under his breath:

"Too bad for me, then."

Calicofur pricked her ears. "W-what?"

Spiderleg licked a paw casually and rubbed it over one ear, sitting down. "I _don't _love Lightfur," He sighed. "I didn't want to have kits-not with her, anyway. I still love you, Calicofur."

She gaped.

"After all I've done to you?" She cried. "You can't-really-I mean-"

Spiderleg stood. "_But_," He said gently. "Right now, I can't be with you. Not when Lightfur is expecting kits... not-"

"Not ever..." Calicofur finished for him, her sky blue eyes sad. "We just can't, can we?"

There was longing in Spiderleg's eyes as he answered her question.

"No."

xxx

"He always spends his time with _her_," Lightfur snarled. "She's a medicine cat apprentice, and I'm having his kits!"

Dreamcloud venomously thought of Applebird. "So?" She then shook her head. Lightfur had a reason to worry about her mate's loyalty. She didn't.

Lightfur turned to her friend. "Who are you going to side with on this one, Dreamcloud?" She asked in a soft voice. "I mean-"  
That was it.

"STOP IT!" Dreamcloud cried, standing. "I'm having to make all these stupid choices, and I'm not going to choose between you and Calicofur! Do you want to know the truth?"

Lightfur, stunned, could do nothing but nod.

"Spiderleg," Dreamcloud hissed. "Loves Calicofur. Not you. Calicofur. It doesn't matter if you're having his kits." Angrily, she turned on her heel, hissing under her breath.

xxx

Stormfur opened his eyes, then almost winced from the fact that his mate, Brook, was not at his side. He stretched slowly. Brook had been gone for a while now...

Wordlessly, the warrior turned cave-guard padded across the Tribe camp to go see his son. A little kit, around three moons old, tumbled around with the others. His pelt, though it was not silver tabby, was silver, though solid, like Stormfur's. His eyes were a shining blue.

Moon Where Cloud Parts.

"Good morning, Moon," Stormfur purred.(AN: Sorry, HAD to write that )

The kit stood and ran over. "Is Mother back now?"

Stormfur spotted the kit-mother who had been taking care of Moon, Pine Swaying In Wind, meeting his eyes. The black and white she-cat understood his pain, for her first mate had been killed by Sharptooth.

"Not yet," Stormfur murmured, touching noses with his son. Moon was from his and Brook's second litter, the only kit to make it.

"Hello, Father."

Stormfur heard the silky voice of his daughter, Crane In Calm Waters. The dark gray she-cat with white paws padded forward with her tabby littermate and brother, Hawk From Sharp Cliffs. Both were prey-hunters, like their mother, lithe and quick.

"Crane. Hawk. How has it been going?" Stormfur asked. He had been careful about his kits lately, even though Crane and Hawk were grown, just in case.

"As good as possible," Hawk sighed. "What about you?"

Stormfur shook his head. "I wonder if Brook is back in the Clans," He pondered. "She's met them..."

"Why would she?" Crane reminded him.

Stormfur watched as Moon played. He wanted his son to one day meet the Clans... it would really be best...

But not for a while.

At least not until Brook was back.

xxx

_**Well, new PoV. Might go there every now and then, but Moon's PoV might be in a later installment. R and R!**_

**_PS- HORMONAL DREAMCLOUD IS INSANE, NO?_**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Er... guess you get a Robinpelt plushie... DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE YOU'RE SO DISAPPOINTED! Uh... Halfpelt, do you still like him?**_

_**Chapter Eighteen: Lightfur**_

"Where did Nectarfoot go?"

Tawnypelt looked miserably down at the little kit. The she-kit was one of Spruceclaw's, and was only a few moons old. Life had been difficult for Tawnypelt since Windstar disappeared. Despite some of the Clan saying she should go to the Moonpool immediately, she still hadn't asked Littlecloud what he thought.

"Nectarfoot..." Tawnypelt saw a few cats look up from their fresh-kill. One made her heart sink.

Nightwing.

Nectarfoot's mother.

"Tawnypelt?" The she-cat asked sharply, padding over. "Do you know where Nectarfoot went?"

Tawnypelt shifted her paws back and forth. Nightwing and some other cats might never trust Windstar again if she told them. And he had done it _for _them.

"I don't know," She finally lied. Nightwing bowed her head, and walked away, tail drooping. Pain sliced through Tawnypelt's heart. When would she be able to tell...?

Only when Windstar told her to.

And he might not even be alive.

"Pecankit," Tawnypelt murmured, touching noses with the kit. "Wherever Nectarfoot is, I'm sure it's good."

"Like Starclan?" Pecankit asked. Tawnypelt saw Nightwing freeze in her tracks, but she had to tell the truth.

"Maybe Starclan."

"Is..." Pecankit hesitated this time. "Is Windstar in Starclan?"

"He can't be," Applebird hissed from afar. Her hazel eyes showed great grief.

"Windstar is _not _in Starclan," Tawnypelt agreed, struggling to keep herself calm.

"Maybe he is!" Nightwing suddenly spat, whirling around. Her yellow eyes blazed with anger and sadness. "Maybe he's dead... like my daughter. Tawnypelt, you lead us! Windstar wasn't able to keep Nectarfoot safe, you lead us!"

Tawnypelt turned slowly. Littlecloud was watching her. "Littlecloud," She murmured. "What should we do?"

The tom bowed his head. "I honestly don't know," He mewed. "We're not sure if Windstar's dead-"

"Firestar did that," Nightwing spat. "With Graystripe."

"But he was alive the whole time," Littlecloud pointed out. Applebird hissed in agreement, angry eyes on Nightwing.

"I'll try to go to the Moonpool," Littlecloud said. "And talk to Starclan about this. It's the half-moon, so maybe I'll get the other medicine cats and go up..."

xxx

Calicofur was confused. "Why is this so urgent, again?" She asked Leafpool. Her mentor shrugged.

"I didn't get much details."

But the look on Littlecloud's face when they met him at the Moonpool was enough.

"This will be mentioned at the Gathering anyway," He sighed. "So you might as well know. Windstar is missing."

Calicofur heard Leafpool's sharp intake of breath. This obviously was major. _So major, _she scolded herself. _That you shouldn't be worrying about a stupid tom's choice in mates._

"Some cats simply think that Tawnypelt should become leader," Littlecloud continued. "But I want to see what Starclan thinks."

Without another word, the medicine cats padded toward the Moonpool. Calicofur had been there many times before, but never would she get used to the icy sensation of the water to her mouth. Slowly, she fell into a trance.

xxx

Dreamcloud's tail was dragging as she padded out of the nursery. Whiteleaf caught up to her quickly.

"You've been acting like you have a bone caught in your throat for the last few suns," She mewed gently. "What's wrong."

"No..." Dreamcloud found herself unable to complete the word at first. "Nothing."

Whiteleaf's green eyes narrowed. "You don't look well," She murmured, and sniffed carefully at her. "You don't smell sick..."

"I don't _feel _sick," Dreamcloud protested weakly. And mostly, she didn't. Just an unbearable wave of weakness...

"Your kits _can't _be coming," Whiteleaf murmured, but there was an edge to her voice. "It's a moon early... Do you feel any sharp pains in your stomach?"

Dreamcloud shook her head.

"Ready to cough up a mouse?"

"I get that _every _day, it seems."

"D-"

"Shut up, Whiteleaf!" Dreamcloud moaned. "I just... feel... tired..."

And with that, she collapsed.

A collapsed queen in a camp with no medicine cats.

xxx

Calicofur looked around. She saw Bluestar, that wasn't unusual. But what _was _unusual was the tawny-and-gray wolf sitting next to her. Not many cats knew about wolves. But Calicofur recognized it faintly from stories.

Suddenly, she heard a yowl of surprise.

"C-YOU'RE A WOLF!"

Turning her head, Calicofur was not too stunned to find Dreamcloud standing nearby. The queen's amber eyes were wide with shock and-amusement? That would be the first spark of life she'd had for days...

"Yes, Dreamcloud," The wolf laughed in a throaty, female voice. "I am a wolf."

"How did you get here?" Calicofur asked. Dreamcloud shrugged.

"I think I fainted," She laughed, obviously thinking this was very funny.

Calicofur shook her head. "Only you, Dreamcloud."

"This is River," Bluestar said, gesturing with her tail to the wolf. "We think her pup, Swift, has something to do with the situation Windstar is in."

This got Dreamcloud's attention. Her heart began racing in hope. "He's alive?" She asked frantically.

"Yes," River said kindly. "He's alive. And hopefully with my daughter."

"Make sure that the others do NOT make Tawnypelt leader," Bluestar growled. "She's a good cat, but not a leader. And Windstar is still alive." She turned her head to Dreamcloud, sympathy in her eyes. "If there was anything I could do to make sure he sees his kits being born, I would do it."

xxx

"You're lucky to be all right," Whiteleaf meowed to the other queen. Dreamcloud dipped her head, but her mind was elsewhere. What else could be going on...?

It seemed to her that Bluestar and River had been to cryptic, and too quick.

There was more.

xxx

Windstar sat on the Twoleg-made ledge, staring out the transparent wall. A dull pain ached at his heart, and worry was on his mind.

"Thinking about your Clan?" Swift asked, walking over to sit near him.

Hesitantly, Windstar shook his head. "More about my mate, Dreamcloud."

"Oh, I see..." Swift murmured. "Well-"

She suddenly caught herself off and looked out the window. Swift leaped up to the windowsill, her muzzle smudging the window.

"Blizzard!" She yipped excitedly, her tail swishing wildly back and forth. Windstar, confused, squinted. Out in the woods, he saw a shadow, even bigger than Swift, that looked a lot like her.

"Who's that?" He asked. Swift turned to look at him, her amber eyes showing excitement.

"Blizzard," She barked. "My puphood friend. He can help us!"

Without another word, she ran up to the door, scratching at it wildly. The Twolegs looked up, and one went to the door and opened it. Swift raced out, Windstar at her heels. She ran up to the fence, and began to bark. She had spent most of the time teaching Windstar her native tongue, so he understood.

"Blizzard!" She barked. "Is that you?"

A large, creamy male wolf with black eyes looked up. For a moment, he seemed startled, but then, his ears pricked, and his tail began wagging.

"Swift?"

Without another word, he bounded up, touching noses with the wolf-dog.

"It's been a while," Swift whined happily. "I didn't think you'd recognize me..."

xxx

_**WHAT shall happen next? I'm thinking about doing something with Swift and Blizzard...**_


	19. Lightfur's Choice

_**Hey y'all! To clarify, Dreamcloud WILL have kits in this fic, since one reviewer was unsure of that... HOWEVER, whether Dreamcloud and the kits will be Ok is a different story... Btw.. I once AGAIN made the mistake of putting Leafpool in the last chapter...**_

_**Chapter Nineteen: Lightfur's Choice**_

Dreamcloud sighed, looking up at the sky. Cool air ruffled her long fur.

"She's been like this for a while," came a hiss. "I wish she would just get over whatever's bothering her..."

Dreamcloud turned her head slowly to see Lightfur whispering into Whiteleaf's ear. The paler of the two queens looked uncomfortable; of course kind Whiteleaf hadn't been the one speaking. Tail lashing back and forth, Dreamcloud began to pad over to her former friend.

"You can stop gossiping about me now," she spat, pelt bristling. "I have noticed my own behavior, and don't need you to so _obviously _point it out."

Lightfur seemed miffed, but a malicious glint came into the tabby's eyes. "You haven't been spending much time with Robinpelt, I've noticed," she commented innocently. "Kind of odd, seeing as he is your mate. Isn't he?"

Whiteleaf's green eyes darted between the two queens, and a worried look crossed her face. "You know," she said, standing. "I think we should all calm down, and-"

Dreamcloud gave the she-cat a kind glance. "I suggest you go tend to your kits," she murmured. "It would be best, you know. This has nothing to do with you."

After a moment, Whiteleaf dipped her head and backed into the nursery.

"Now," Dreamcloud continued, her eyes meeting Lightfur's. "Let's get back on topic. What exactly _are _you assuming?"

Lightfur's ears twitched. "I've seen you sneak off," she admitted. To Dreamcloud's surprise, there was a touch of hurt in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"There's nothing to tell," Dreamcloud lied. "Maybe I was just... getting some air."

"Hmph," Lightfur snorted, giving one paw a lick. "Interesting way of 'getting some air'."

And that was it.

"How dare you!" Dreamcloud snarled, leaping at her. The queen's claws were unsheathed, long and dangerous...

xxx

"I can't believe it's you!" Swift cried happily.

Blizzard simply gave the tip of her nose sticking through the mesh a quick lick. Windstar shifted his paws from side to side uncomfortably. Finally, Blizzard seemed to catch sight of him.

"Who's this?" He asked. "A cat?"

"Windstar, leader of Shadowclan," Swift explained. "He's living here with me."

"You live here?" Blizzard was taking in the Twoleg nest now, surprise on his face. Swift sadly dipped her head.

"Their catchers got me," she sighed. "I can't find a way out."

Blizzard's dark eyes scanned the area quickly and quietly. "Interesting," he murmured. "I wonder..."

"Blizzard's always been good with things like this," Swift muttered to Windstar. Her eyes were shining-but not just with the anticipation of escaping.

xxx

"Dreamcloud!"

Robinpelt pushed himself roughly in front of her, amber eyes confused.

"What did you do that for, you furball?" Dreamcloud snarled, snapping long fangs inches away from Lightfur's face. The tabby queen glared at her, and turned on her heel, throwing one last comment over her shoulder.

"Looks like Tigerstar's blood skips a generation."

A wave of shock rushed over Dreamcloud. Lightfur, accusing her of following after Tigerstar? But Dreamcloud's heart pounded just a bit more as she looked down at her paws-with their long, long claws.

Tigerstar's claws.

"Why didn't you just let me scrape some of her fur off?" Dreamcloud spat. "She was insulting me!"

"Yes, I overheard," Robinpelt growled. "And isn't she right?"

Without another word, the tom stalked off. _Oh, deal with it already, _Dreamcloud thought to herself, but flinched as a familiar voice came to her.

"Dreamcloud," Brambleclaw sighed, rasping his tongue over her ear. "Lightfur didn't know what she was talking about."

Dreamcloud let out a breath of relief. He hadn't heard. She looked up into her father's eyes, eyes that mirrored her own. "Are you so sure about that?" She murmured. "I mean, Firestar's blood is my blood, _your _blood is my blood... but with that is Tigerstar's blood."

Brambleclaw was silent for a moment before nodding his head toward a shadowed ledge. "Let's go talk over there."

Dreamcloud obediently followed him, and sat down, facing her father.

"Hawkfrost did get Tigerstar's blood," Brambleclaw murmured. "He was evil. And for a while, many cats-including myself-thought that maybe I had Tigerstar's blood. Yes, technically, of course I have his blood, you have his blood. But I mean, as in, has his _spirit_. But... Hawkfrost was trying to use the fact that he was my half-brother to get to me. And it worked-for a while. But finally, it came down to where he was hurting your mother-that was it."

Dreamcloud gazed at her father for a moment-he had a point. She finally sighed, and touched noses with him.

"Thank you, Father. That means a lot."

xxx

Lightfur's PoV(starting back when Dreamcloud gave her a little... reality check)

I stood in shock, watching as my friend-was she still that?-stalked away from me, her amber eyes burning. My heart sank. It was a tough thing to realize, but...

Dreamcloud and I had been friends ever since kithood. She had been her parents' only kit, so I felt bad for her, and we developed a bond. I was apprenticed a moon or so before her, but soon, we were training together. At first, I was proud of being the older of the two of us, and felt a bit superior.

But then...

I was jealous of her.

Dreamcloud, though she had been a cute, but admittedly runty kit, and I had been the preferred of the two of us. But now, she was fiesty and caught the attention of cats. And not just the other mentors-toms. I felt kind of plain. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about it. Her pale pelt would gleam like copper in the sunlight, the mischevious glint in her amber eyes would catch the eyes of any tom... and even as an apprentice, she had a handsome warrior wrapped around her paw.

Robinpelt.

This hurt. I kept it well-hidden from the Clan, but I did have feelings for him. 'Oh well,' I decided. 'He loves Dreampaw.'

My affections turned to an older cat-Spiderleg. It took me forever to get his attention, and even when I was a warrior, it seemed like he payed so much attention to that medicine cat apprentice.

And he wasn't the only one.

Dreamcloud was getting to be closer friends with Calicofur than she was with me. All I heard was, 'Sorry, taking a walk with Calicofur'. But then, it wasn't just that-she was sneaking off.

To meet a tom.

I never told her I knew that the kits weren't Robinpelt's, but a ShadowClan cat. And not just any ShadowClan cat's-the new leader's.

It hurt me so much that she hadn't told me... and I knew the friendship was over.

Still...

Even I knew that the Tigerstar comment was out of line. I guess part of it was what I heard the other day...

I heard Spiderleg confessing to Calicofur that he still loved her. I heard them say that it couldn't be...

And soon after my fight with Dreamcloud, I made my decision.

Walking deep into the forest, I set what I had been carrying down at my paws, and pictured Spiderleg's kind amber eyes. It wasn't his fault that he was in love with someone else. It wasn't Calicofur's fault that she was in love with him.

I gazed down at my still-flat stomach.

"If I could do this without killing you, I would," I sighed. "But we'll be in StarClan... together."

Slowly, I bent my head down to the scarlett berries at my paws. Three of them. That would be enough. One by one, I took them carefully in my mouth, not breaking the skin of them until the right moment.

And finally...

My sharp teeth split them all at once. The bitter juices flooded into my mouth, and I swallowed quickly. Too late to turn back now.

A terrible burning suddenly seized my throat, and I sank to the ground on my side. Numbness spread through my limbs...

Pain.

A cry was ripped from me, one that didn't even sound like my own voice. I had hoped no one would be there...

Within mere moments, cats who had recognized my voice were around, but I only saw two:  
Spiderleg and Dreamcloud.

"Get Calicofur," Spiderleg was ordering some other cat. I remembered faintly that Leafpool was gone...

"No," I croaked.

"Lightfur!" Dreamcloud's frantic voice split through the fog. Her amber eyes settled on my foaming mouth, and I know she saw the red flecks. "Oh, Lightfur, why did you do this to yourself?"

"I'm sorry," I moaned. "About the Tigerstar thing..."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine!" She insisted, but I could see the disbelief of her own words.

"You were a good friend to me," I sighed. "My envy ruined it."

"Envy?"

But I moved on to Spiderleg. "You don't love me," I said, managing a chuckle.

"I do!" He protested, but I shook my head.

"You love Calicofur," I whispered. "Be with her."

Slowly, my eyes began to close...

A wave of scarlett plunged me away...

xxx

Dreamcloud nudged her friend frantically, but Lightfur was gone, her eyes still staring up at the sky. A long spasm passed through her body.

Spiderleg just stared in shock. Finally, he spoke.

"What do I do?" He rasped.

Dreamcloud met his gaze with her soul-searching one, and scoured him. Finally, that familiar, bossy look came into her eyes, and she jerked her head towards Lightfur's body.

"You heard her."

xxx

_**See, Dreamcloud is the bad girl! Plus, in my opinion, she redeemed herself with that line. The kits will be born SOON, by the way.**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty: Loss**_

"Ok," Swift muttered to Blizzard through the fence before turning. A glint was in her amber eyes. "I can do that."

"What exactly are we doing?" Windstar asked cautiously as they padded toward the house.

The wolf-dog nosed him affectionately. "You'll see."

xxx

Calicofur watched as Lightfur's body was dragged away. Spiderleg watched, sorrow in his eyes, then shot a glance toward her. The she-cat's pelt prickled. He had every right to hate her.

"It's sad, isn't it?" Dreamcloud asked. The queen looked like she was going to sit down, but then decided not to. Her stomach was _huge_.

"You seem bothered by something," Calicofur commented, then narrowed her blue eyes. "Maybe I should take a look at you."  
"I'm sure it's nothing," Dreamcloud said quickly averting her eyes.

Worry coursed through Calicofur. She had heard stories about queens who ignored the pain of their kits coming because their mates weren't there...

"Just let me have a look at you," Calicofur begged. Dreamcloud looked at her with narrowed eyes. Unbearable pain was there. She had lost her friend and her mate so quickly...

"Fine," She growled. "But nothing's wrong."

"I'm sure there isn't," Calicofur agreed. _I might be imagining things, _she told herself. _After all, I haven't been present at the birth of kits yet. Leafpool's taken care of them. _Leafpool had actually been the cat to deliver Calicofur and her sibling. The first litter she had taken care of.

Calicofur looked up at the evening sky, hoping-praying-that Dreamcloud's kits wouldn't be coming. For there was one thing that both she and the nervous queen knew.

They would be early.

And too early.

xxx

_**This can't be it, **Spottedleaf thought as she looked down at the pool. It couldn't..._

_"Bluestar!" She yowled, rushing towards the gray she-cat, who was speaking to Silverstream._

_"What?" Bluestar asked, turning her head._

_"We have to send someone to Windstar," Spottedleaf panted. "Now."_

_  
Silverstream's green eyes widened as she realized what Spottedleaf was speaking of, as did Bluestar's._

_"That poor soul," She muttered under her breath. "Wait-let me stay with her when the time comes. I can send Graystripe."_

"He hasn't been sent before," Spottedleaf's amber eyes showed worry. "Should we risk it?"

"For this," Silverstream growled. "He'll be more than ready."

Both she-cats turned to Bluestar. The former ThunderClan leader looked unsure of what to do, but finally dipped her head.

_"I agree with Silverstream. Spottedleaf, you know that Graystripe will be swifter than any of our other warriors here in all of StarClan."_

_  
Spottedleaf looked doubtful, but finally sighed, "All right. But if he messes up, everything will be-"_

_"Doomed?" Silverstream's eyes glittered. "I know. But we have to give him a chance-"_

"Spottedleaf said she would," Bluestar meowed. "We just need the job done, and we need it done fast."

Silverstream started to turn. "I'll go get Graystripe."

Spottedleaf looked after her, and hoped beyond hopes that they would be in time.

xxx

A prickle ran down Windstar's spine, and he shuddered. What had that been about...?

"Windstar!"

Turning quickly, he found a stocky gray tom with amber eyes. The cat looked exhausted, but their was something else that was noticable about him. Stars shimmered in his pelt, and Windstar knew that this was a StarClan cat.

"I'm Graystripe-"

"The former ThunderClan deputy."

"Yes," Graystripe panted. "And I came to tell you that you need to get back to the forest _now_."

"Why?" Windstar asked, confused. What could be so extremely important that he needed to get back _today? _Dreamcloud's kits wouldn't be born for about a week or so.

"I can't tell you why," Graystripe mewed, looking apologetic. "StarClan thing. But if I could, I would. It's invaluable that you get back."

"Who's this?" The familiar throaty voice of Swift asked. Windstar turned, and was surprised that the wolf-dog's amber eyes showed that she could see Graystripe perfectly. "Oh, a StarClan warrior." She didn't seem surprised at all.

To Windstar's even greater surprise, Graystripe dipped his head to her. "Swift. I've heard much. I trust that you'll help Windstar get home?"

"Of course."

With one last nod to each of them, Graystripe began to fade.

"Wait!" Windstar cried. "What-"

But he was gone.

Windstar turned to Swift. "We must leave now," He muttered, striding towards her. Swift looked outside, and he followed her gaze. "Perfect, she muttered. "The carrier is coming." She gave looked him in the eye. "We don't have much time. Listen carefully..."

xxx

"Dreamcloud," Calicofur murmured. "I want you to stay in the nursery."

The queen sat up immediately. "But you said the kits aren't coming!" She protested.

"I said I wasn't sure if they were coming or not," Calicofur corrected. "Now, I want to keep an eye on you..."

Dreamcloud glanced down at her swollen stomach. "The kits aren't coming without their father being here," She hissed fiercely. "They aren't!"

With that, she turned and began to walk quickly out of the den. Calicofur sighed, rolled her eyes, and began to follow, but before she could, an apprentice stood in her path.

"Calicofur!" He mewed. "Rainwhisker hurt his leg pretty badly-it might be broken."

Calicofur looked after Dreamcloud, who was padding towards the entrance of the den. She didn't have the look of a queen kitting... Calicofur had enough time to check on Rainwhisker.

xxx

Windstar watched as the Carrier got closer and closer to their nest, and padded at Swift's heels as she scratched at the door.

"Ok, Gracie," The Twoleg cooed, and the wolf-dog winced visibly as her Twoleg name was uttered.

"Once I'm outta here," She muttered. "With Skypack as my witness," She glanced at the tom near her. "-and Windstar-I'll never be called that wretched name again."

As the Twoleg opened the door, Swift sprung out, Windstar racing with her.

"Snowy!" The Twoleg cried, watching him. Just as the Carrier opened the gate, a creamy white shape bounded out of the nearby woods, his brown eyes gleaming as they met Swift's.

"Get out of her way, Rat!" Blizzard snarled, showing long, gleaming white fangs-fangs at least three times the length of any cat's teeth.

The Carrier had no problem of getting out of the way, running, and leaving the gate swinging open.

"This is it!" Windstar hissed in anticipation, running out to freedom. Swift ran up to Blizzard, and the two ran side by side, Windstar following, until they were well into the woods.

"We did it!" Swift cried. "All of us!" She touched noses with Windstar in celebration, then nuzzled Blizzard. The two bounded around like graceful dancers, their fur like snow flurries, chasing each other and giving happy yips. When they had finally calmed down, Windstar cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Uh-excuse me."

Both turned their heads, and at the same time: "What?"

"Well... there were some cats back at the shelter..."

xxx

Dreamcloud padded through the forest, ignoring that it was getting harder to breathe...

xxx

Windstar looked up at the open window, then at Swift and Blizzard.

"After this," He declared. "You are both welcome to make your home in ShadowClan territory."

Both canines exchanged embarrassed glances at 'you two' and Windstar shook his head, muttering, "Juveniles," under his breath.

"All right," Blizzard finally said. "We'll go provide the distraction."

The two bounded off, and began barking and howling, when a sudden, "Holy... WOLVES!" came in a Twoleg voice.

Hearing the pawsteps of other Twolegs scattering to the front of the shelter, Windstar began to claw his way up the wall to the window, then jumped down onto the cold concrete floor.

"Windstar!" The happy meows of Clan cats, and Brook, came up.

"Ssh!" The tom hissed, and began carefully going to each cage. He remembered faintly something Leafpool had said at a Gathering about when she had been captured by Twolegs...

"Yes!" He growled as the first lock-Palelegs's-gave way to his claws. Carefully, he moved to each one, when he realized something.

"Where's Leafpool?"

All the cats looked around, murmuring worries, when a familiar cry came to Windstar's ears.

Turning, he found a door swinging open, and a Twoleg poised over Leafpool, who was on a table. A thing similiar to the stingers was pointed towards a throbbing vein in the struggling medicine cat's neck.

"No!" Windstar yowled, racing towards the room. The Twoleg, who-thanks to the door not being opened till the exact moment-had not noticed the cats escaping, looked up, and slammed its hand into Windstar. The tom collapsed onto the floor, and could only watch as the stinger was plunged into Leafpool's neck.

The medicine cat began to sink to the table, and the Twoleg began to walk into the room-but the cats were already escaping through the window.

"Leafpool!" Windstar called up towards the table, but heard nothing-not even breathing. A pale tabby paw hung over the edge of the table, limp.

Pain sliced through the tom's heart, but he shook his head. _Time to grieve later._

The tom turned, weaved through the Twoleg's legs, and jumped out the window. His legs were at an awkward angle, he knew that a leg would snap.

Gentle jaws grabbed some loose skin, being careful not to break it.

"Come on!" Swift growled, placing him on the ground. "Let's get to your mate."

xxx

Dreamcloud sat down, panting. Even this little effort to go into the forest had exhausted her. Suddenly, a familiar scent reached her nostrils, and a white shape bounded towards her. The queen's eyes widened in amazement.

"Windstar!" She cried joyfully, standing. Purring, her mate pressed himself up to her.

"Finally!" He murmured. "I'm back, and trust me, I'll never leave again."

"What ha-" Dreamcloud began, but then halted with a gasp, sitting down again.

"Dreamcloud?" Windstar asked, nosing her.

"The kits," She whispered. "The kits are coming."

xxx

_**Dun, dun... DUN! Ok, tell me your opinion: How many, and will Dreamcloud make it? **_


	21. Dreamcloud

_**Chapter Twenty-one: Dreamcloud**_

Windstar's eyes widened.

"They are?" He cried. "But-but-it's too early!"

Dreamcloud fixed him with his gaze. "I highly doubt these kits are going to wait."

"Er... true... but it's STILL way to early!"

The queen sighed, and shook her head, lying down. "I'm the one having them," She mewed. "And you're the one acting like a little mouse." She gave a slight wince. "Just get Calicofur." Her eyes lit up. "Or did you rescue Leafpool?"

Windstar looked away.

"I'll get Calicofur."

xxx

"It isn't broken," Calicofur murmured, carefully straining her ears. She was waiting for that clicking sound that came when the bone was back in place. "It's just dislocated."

Rainwhisker gritted his teeth, and closed his blue eyes at the pain.

"How did you get it like this, anyway?" Calicofur asked, trying to distract him as she rolled his leg a bit more in a circular pattern.

"Tried jumping over a log," He hissed. "I was after a rabbit; didn't exactly make it all the way over."

She shook her head in amusement.

A familiar scent made the she-cat freeze; she wasn't surprised at all when she heard the normally hard, matter-of-fact voice, this time tinted with slight fear and nerves.

"Calicofur!"

The medicine cat apprentice turned her head quickly, and saw a pale shadow slinking through the ferns, pale green eyes trying to get her attention.

"Er," She meowed, looking around. "Ferncloud-can you please just keep rolling his leg like this?" She gave a quick demonstration to the she-cat. "Until you hear a click. Then get him to my den and feed him some poppy seeds."

Rainwhisker lifted his head. "Where are you going?"

"Medicine cats only," Calicofur muttered, then turning sharply into the darkness. Soon, things would be getting even more complicated. She knew it.

"Windstar!" She hissed as the handsome white tom slunk from the bushes. His pawsteps were quick, and his eyes wide. The scent of Twolegs clung to his fur, and she wrinkled her nose. Another scent was there, more woodsy and nice.

"Calicofur," He panted. "I know I should give you an explanation-"

The she-cat gave him a blank look. "You think?"

"-_but _there are more important things going on now."

"Such as?" She asked, but then saw the panic on his face, the way his pelt was bristling.

No, no, no. Not yet, it was too soon...

"Dreamcloud's having the kits!" Windstar blurted out.

"Why do I have to be right?" Calicofur moaned, then gave him a hard stare. "If she dies-"

"I'm baming you," The tom finished in a hiss, narrowing his eyes. "Now, get your herbs. She's in a clearing near the border, and she can't be moved since it's so early."

Calicofur blinked. _"How do you know this?"_

The tom shrugged his broad shoulders. "Insight, I guess." Then ran off at full speed.

Grumbling under her breath, Calicofur padded quickly to her den, gathering as many herbs that she could. This would be difficult... Faintly, she remembered, as a kit being so interested in being a medicine cat-she had just gone through her warrior training for the skills-talking to Leafpool all the time...

_"One of the things my mentor, Cinderpelt, told me," Leafpool mewed. "Is about Silverstream's kits, the first litter of kits she delivered. Two of them-"_

_  
"Stormfur and Feathertail," Calicokit finished._

_Leafpool's amber eyes sparkled. "Yes. Now, Silverstream, their mother, had gone into kitting early. This is one of the worst things that can happen to a queen. We're both lucky it didn't happen with your mother. Sorreltail was right on time."_

_  
Calicokit shifted from one paw to another. She was kind of proud of being in the first litter of kits Leafpool had ever delivered._

_"Anyway," Leafpool continued. "Something happened... the kits being so early made it so that Silverstream lost a lot of blood, and... well, there was nothing Cinderpelt could do. She tried her best, and the kits were fine, but Silverstream didn't make it. When a queen is early... well, sometimes, there's nothing at all that you can do."_

_  
_"She'll be fine," Calicofur meowed, striding out of the den. But a voice in her head murmured, _Oh, Leafpool, where are you?_

Wait-Windstar was back, so he _had _to have rescued Leafpool. She was probably just treating the missing cats.

xxx

As she waited for Windstar to come back, everything was a blur for Dreamcloud. She didn't know how exactly she knew the kits were coming. It wasn't like there was much pain-not like she expected. Just one sharp stab. But then, it was as if _things _were swirling around in her stomach. And she knew those _things _were _kits, _so it was 'time' as other queens had called it.

As Windstar ran off, she began to think. Was this like what her mother had experienced?

"I wish you were here, Mother," Dreamcloud sighed, just lying there. But then, Squirrelflight would know, and that wasn't good...

"I'm not even on my side, yet," Dreamcloud thought. It was true. She was just lying on her stomach, not quite comfortable, really. "Maybe I was wrong..."

She couldn't have been wrong, could she? Medicine cats said that queens knew even better than them when kits were coming, even when they weren't their own.

Whiteleaf had told her a lot about when her two kits were coming. Dreamcloud had actually been there right as the second was born. She shuddered.

Not pretty.

"This is odd," She thought. "Something very important in my life is happening, and no StarClan cat is here to annoy me-"

"Dreamcloud! Are you all right?"

The queen turned her head to find Silverstream standing in front of her, eyes wide.

"Right on time," Dreamcloud sighed, amber eyes glittering. "You know, it would be very nice if I just had two cats around while I was kitting. If I am kitting at all."

"Trust me," Silverstream mewed. "You are. And you'll know very soon."

"Lovely. So tell me, why are you here? Am I going to die?"

"I can't tell you that," Silverstream mumbled, looking away.

Dreamcloud lay her head on her paws. This was getting too messed up for her own good, and for the good of her kits.

Lifting her head, she muttered, "That tom better be back _soon_."

Silverstream squinted. "Wow. I've never seen a cat run so fast."

Right on cue, Windstar was back, skidding to a halt, dust flying around, a white blur. "How are you?" He asked. "Are you all right?" He noticed the other she-cat. "Oh, hey, Silverstream."

Double take.

_"Silverstream?"_

"Why am I so unwelcome?" The dead queen muttered, sitting down a few feet off. "How's this?"

"Much better." Dreamcloud touched noses with her mate. "I'm fine. Nothing's even really happening yet. I guess it'll be a while before I feel p-"

A long, sharp spasm of pain made her halt, eyes wide, her whole entire body stiff... her muscles were clenched.

"Dreamcloud?" There was a note of panic to Windstar's voice. "Are you all right? You're all right, aren't you?" He gave her a quick lick.

Dreamcloud's erratic breathing slowed, and the muscles relaxed after a moment. She closed her amber eyes, then opened them.

"Pain."

"What?"

"Nothing," She sighed. "I just guess that that was when I really started to feel pain... and it was pretty bad. But don't worry, for StarClan's sake."

"It's normal," Silverstream put in.

"Is Dreamcloud Ok? Are you Ok, Dreamcloud?"

Calicofur bounded towards them, her voice muffled through the herbs she was carrying. Her blue eyes were huge, but had a certain calm in them now. The calm of a medicine cat.

"You look like a medicine cat," Dreamcloud said in an amused tone. "With your herbs and everything." Accompanied with the amused tone, though, there was confusion, delirium.

"Just be quiet and concentrate on the kits," Calicofur meowed in a soothing, but firm voice as she set her supplies down. She began to bark out orders. "All right-Windstar, I want you to talk to Dreamcloud, and DON'T be a nervous wreck. When I give you a kit, you lick it as much as you can until it's breathing right, and then put it next to her so that it can nurse. Got it?"

"Yes," Windstar said, trying to stay calm.

"Good," Calicofur murmured. "Now, Dreamcloud. Do your best, and don't give up, all right?" She touched noses with her friend, blue eyes pleading, then looked up to see a starry cat.

"Silverstream-wait. I won't ask."

xxx

Hours past, and nothing. Windstar nervously gave his mate a lick. "Dreamcloud, you'll be all right," He whispered, looking into her eyes.

"Of... of course I will." The queen's spunk hadn't left her, even though she was tired and in pain. Suddenly, she stiffened again, and let out a wail. Windstar pressed his face to hers, murmuring something in her ear.

Suddenly, Dreamcloud's cries subsided, and she was still and relaxed, closing her eyes.

A purring Calicofur suddenly placed a tiny bundle at his paws. He blinked, the sight not registering.

"Huh?"

Calicofur rolled her eyes. "Lick!" She urged. "That's your daughter."

Windstar gaped. "My... daughter?"

Half a second later, his tongue was going rapidly against the pale, wet fur of the little she-kit. For a moment, nothing happened, but finally, the kit's sides began going up and down, up and down. Her ears were closed, her eyes were closed, but she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Pale ginger, like her mother, but with no markings, and MUCH paler, almost white.

"Look," Windstar murmured, placing the kit at Dreamcloud's side. He pressed his face up against hers. "She's beautiful, and she looks just like me.(AN: I just think that to brighten the mood, that's exactly what he would say)"

Dreamcloud blinked down at the kit, amused. "Sorry," She sighed happily. "I beg to differ." She gave the kit a small lick.

"She's smaller than most kits," Calicofur surveyed, examining the little bundle. "But she's very healthy. You're lucky."

"What should we name her?" Dreamcloud asked.

"Names should come after all the kits are born," Windstar said sternly.

"What if-oooooow. Guess I have more." Dreamcloud glared at her bulging stomach, then lay her head on the ground.

Windstar paced a bit, and watched his daughter, but it wasn't that long before a second bundle was laid at his paws, this one brownish with white flecks.

"Your son," Calicofur mewed before going back to her duties.

The tom was soon breathing fine and by his sister.

Windstar sat down next to Dreamcloud, purring, watching her.

"You did it," He sighed.

"Thanks," She whispered. "I mea-"

But a long spasm passed through her body, and she let out a wail. Windstar jumped to stare at Calicofur.

"You said it was over!"

"It... it looked like she was," She whispered, but then was back over to her, herbs in her mouth. "Dreamcloud, eat these, now."

"I... I can't," She sighed, eyes closing. "I can't do it."

Windstar began quickly passing his tongue over her forehead. "You'll be fine," He murmured. "You'll be fine. Just look into my eyes and concentrate."

"Look into his eyes, Dreamcloud," Silverstream called softly, unable to do anything.

The queen was still.

"No," Calicofur murmured. "Dreamcloud, you're my friend! Just make it, please!"

"Please," Windstar begged. "For me. For our kits, please try! I won't be able to live without you, Dreamcloud."

Her body began to tremble. Everything was silent, even the two newborn kits, and Dreamcloud slowly opened her eyes, locking them on Windstar's. A spasm passed through her body, one of great pain, but she didn't make a sound. Just stayed looking into Windstar's eyes. Two pairs of eyes. One amber, one leaf green.

Finally, after what seemed to be seasons, Dreamcloud closed her eyes, sides heaving.

"You really did it, this time," Calicofur murmured. "Really." But there was a worried tone in her voice.

"What's wrong?" Both Windstar and Dreamcloud asked. Calicofur carried the kit over. She had revived it herself, but the kit was even smaller than the other two. Flame colored, like Firestar, but with longer fur like Dreamcloud, a she-kit.

"Those two will be the right size when they're older," Calicofur breathed. "But she probably won't. If she makes it."

"She will," Dreamcloud sighed, looking down at her three kits. Two daughters and one son. "What'll we name them?"

"If it's all right," Windstar whispered. "I would like Rockkit for the tom."

"Perfect. And Birdkit for our firstborn." Both looked at the flame colored kit, and said one name at the same time:

"Scarlettkit."

xxx

_**Birdkit, Rockkit, and Scarlettkit! YAY! But I don't know, Scarlettkit might die...**_


	22. Kits!

_**Chapter Twenty-two: Kits!**_

Dreamcloud blinked against the sunlight filtering through the canopy of tree branches overhead. She lifted her head from where it rested on Windstar's neck, and heard a soft mewling sound as she moved.

It was almost a surprise to her as she looked down to see the three tiny fluffs of fur nestled up to her body, trying to get as much warmth as possible.

Her kits.

Windstar's kits.

Their kits.

Every muscle in Dreamcloud's body was tired, and she could tell that Windstar was exhausted as well. The usually alert tom was still fast asleep. Turning her head, Dreamcloud saw Calicofur dozing a few feet away. The sight amused and touched her. Calicofur really was a good friend.

Wait...

"Oh!" Dreamcloud exclaimed softly. Her voice jolted Windstar awake, and the tom looked wildly around.

"What?" He yawned, then looked concerned. "Are you Ok? Is Scarlettkit...?" He trailed off.

"All of them are fine," Dreamcloud soothed, giving his forehead a lick. "I just realized that the Clans might be worried about me by now-and you need to make sure yours knows you're alive."

"They do," Windstar assured her.

"How?"

The tom's eyes twinkled. "I enlisted some... friends to tell them."

xxx

(ShadowClan camp, the sunset before)

"Are they going to try to kill us?" Blizzard wondered in an amused tone.

"I'd like to see them try," Swift chuckled.

"No, seriously. Maybe it's a weird ritualistic thing that Windstar didn't tell us about."

"Let's try the universal phrase," Swift decided, watching as Tawnypelt cautiously padded up. "We come in peace?"

"She speaks cat!" One warrior cried.

"Yes," Tawnypelt agreed sarcastically. "I believe that if we understand it, that means she speaks cat. Now. What are you coming for?"

"We have a message from Windstar... he's kind of busy right now..."

xxx

"You met wolves?" Dreamcloud cried, trying to keep her voice low enough to keep from disturbing Calicofur and the kits. Windstar was busy gazing at the kits. When she asked why, he just answered that they were beautiful, which gave her heart that strange warm feeling that it had around him.

Love.

Her mate nodded. "Well," He meowed. "One was a wolf-dog."

"Now, wait," Dreamcloud said. "Did you find the other missing cats?"

"Yes," A soft voice asked. "Did you?"

Calicofur stood, padding to sit down near them. Windstar looked at the ground.

"Yes," He finally answered. "All of them. But..." He looked up to meet Calicofur's eyes. "The Twolegs killed Leafpool. I'm sorry."

Calicofur was silent for a moment. "Oh..." She whispered. "Oh."

"Calicofur..." Pain wracked Dreamcloud's own voice. "I'm so-"

"There's no need to be sorry for me," Calicofur said quickly. "She was your kin, after all. And you shouldn't be worrying about this, you just had a hard kitting last night..."

Suddenly, Dreamcloud's ears pricked, and she tilted her head. "That would be Firestar, my parents, and Spiderleg," She confirmed after a moment. "Looking for us." She twisted her head to see Windstar. "Windstar, you better go. Don't worry, I'll see you soon, with the kits."

"And while she's weak," Calicofur murmured in her shaken voice. "I'll keep you posted."

"All right," Windstar agreed reluctantly after a moment. His eyes were worried. "I don't know how I can be a good father to them if I'm away from them all the time, though."

"You'll see the kits," Dreamcloud promised, pressing her face to his as he stood. "And you'll see them. When they're young, at Gatherings when they're older... You'll be a wonderful father."

Windstar silently looked into her eyes for a long moment before racing off into the bushes.

"Dreamcloud?" Squirrelflight's worried voice broke through the silence. "Dreamcloud, where are you?"

"She's right here," Calicofur called softly. "Be careful."

"Calicofur? Is that you?" Spiderleg bounded into view, Squirrelflight on his heels. Both cats gave sudden halts when they saw the image in front of them, and Firestar and Brambleclaw practically skidded.

"Dreamcloud?" Brambleclaw's voice was faint, and he looked like he could barely stand on his paws.

"What's wrong, Father?" The queen asked innocently.

"Now you know what it's like," Firestar rasped, unable to take his eyes off of the three kits cuddled up to his granddaughter's side.

"That would explain why you didn't come back to camp last night," Squirrelflight muttered, quickly padding over to examine her daughter and grandkits.

"Yes," Dreamcloud lied. "They came a bit earlier than expected-I was lucky Calicofur heard me."

"Thank-you," Brambleclaw dipped his head to the young medicine cat, who could only blink back.

Worry crept into Dreamcloud's heart. Her friend wasn't coping with the death of Leafpool well. Oh, no...

That reminded her.

Dreamcloud knew that her mother and Leafpool had been close...

"The most amazing thing happened!" Squirrelflight exclaimed. "Just after you left, Palelegs came back! Of course, a patrol was sent out and we found Thornclaw quite far off... he was pleased to see her again." Squirrelflight averted her eyes. "They didn't know where Leafpool was." She shook her head, and beckoned for Firestar and Brambleclaw to come back over. "What are their names?" She mewed.

"Birdkit, Rockkit, and Scarlettkit," Dreamcloud purred, touching each kit with her nose as she did. But she didn't miss the worried look in all the cats' eyes as she touched Scarlettkit.

"We'd better get them to camp," Firestar said, padding over. "You seem a bit weak, Dreamcloud."

"I'm fine," She protested. Her legs wobbled as she stood. Squirrelflight rolled her eyes at her father and mate, and Brambleclaw only gave her a look that clearly said 'You were just like that, mouse-brain'.

Gently, Squirrelflight picked up Rockkit, and Brambleclaw followed the motion with Birdkit. Dreamcloud insisted on carrying Scarlettkit-'What kind of mother will I be if I can't carry my own kit?'-but leaned against Firestar as she walked.

Meanwhile, when all the cats but Dreamcloud weren't looking, Spiderleg tilted his head toward the darker parts of the forest, his amber eyes worried. Calicofur shook her head, but still followed as the others walked off.

"Well?" She asked tiredly. Spiderleg permitted himself to touch her shoulder with the tip of his tail.

"Something's wrong with you," He murmured. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Please tell me," He pleaded. Calicofur halted, looked at her paws, then finally blurted it out:

"Leafpool's dead!"

Spiderleg's entire body went rigid with shock. "That... can't... be..." He said hoarsely. Calicofur was silent.

"I'll tell the Clan once Dreamcloud and her kits are settled," She sighed, beginning to turn and pad away, but a tail flicked in front of her, and she spun back.

"Calicofur," Spiderleg's words were a jumble, but his eyes were clear as they rested on her. "Lightfur... Leafpool... their deaths have taught me something. We really can't live forever, and we have to take things while we can..."

Calicofur met his gaze. "I know it's wrong," She finally sighed. "But I do love you, Spiderleg. And... I agree. We have to take this while we can." Calicofur gazed at him. "Because I know I'll never love a tom like I love you again."

The tom's tail twined with hers, and a feeling of peace spread over both of them. This was the way it was supposed to be.

xxx

"Dreamcloud!" Whiteleaf trilled, racing up. "You had your kits."

Dreamcloud nodded, carefully setting Scarlettkit down on the bed of moss that was her nest. Rockkit and Birdkit were carefully placed beside her, and she lay down, curling around them.

"They're beautiful." Whiteleaf stated, and they were. Like their parents, the kits were stunning already, even just as little bundles. Even tiny Scarlettkit, as weak as she was.

Dreamcloud's thoughts drifted to Windstar. If only they had been in the same Clans. It was obvious he loved his kits already, and it was a shame that he couldn't raise them...

Dreamcloud turned her head to see Sootfur(AN: I didn't know he was going to die when I first wrote him in) walking in and nuzzling his mate, looking proudly down at Rabbitkit and Acornkit, who were now three moons old.

"Oh," The gray tom meowed when he saw Dreamcloud with her kits. His amber eyes were pleased. "Robinpelt will be happy."

Robinpelt... Dreamcloud had forgotten about him. As if on cue, the tabby tom padded in, sitting down next to her. His amber eyes were fixed on the kits.

"They're fine kits, Dreamcloud," Robinpelt meowed. He didn't sound like a proud father, but a leader, a _distant _leader. Windstar had told her how beautiful the kits were. Robinpelt could at least act like a father...

There was something about him that was definitely worrying Dreamcloud.

xxx

_**Yes, I know, FINALLY. Well, R and R! I gave you fluff with both pairings, so I DESERVE IT!**_

**_...Please?_**


	23. New Life

_**Chapter Twenty-three: New Life**_

The snowy white tom stalked into the camp, and every single cat stared. He was haggard and tired looking. Giving a friendly nod to the two dog-like creatures nearby, he simply said:

"Well. Stop staring."

Tawnypelt excitedly raced up. "What happened?" She asked. "Are you all right?"

"You're back!" Applebird squealed, rubbing herself up against him. But she froze as she smelled a sweet, sultry scent that seemed to be clinging to him more often.

Dreamcloud's scent.

But what was worse was a soft, milky scent mixed with that scent. The scent of kits.

"Littlecloud," She finally mewed. "You'd better look him over."

"I'm fine," Windstar held back a yawn. "I'm just... tired." He blinked. "I see you've met Swift and Blizzard."

"Wonderful family you have here," Swift noted, sarcasm dripping from every word. "Tried to kill us."

Tawnypelt looked defensive. "Oh, you're fine!"

Littlecloud carefully checked the annoyed leader over, and then, Windstar gave the yowl for the meeting.

"I was captured by Twolegs," He explained. "Swift was in the same nest as me, trapped as well, and she and Blizzard helped me escape. To repay them, I am letting both stay on our territory and hunt as they please."

"Are they mates?" An apprentice called out. "Is that why they're staying together?"

Swift gave an embarrassed sigh, and muttering something to SkyPack, laid down, one paw on her muzzle.

"I also discovered what happened to Nectarfoot..." Nightwing looked excited as he said this. Windstar's sympathetic gaze looked into her. "I'm... sorry. She was killed."

A low wailing raised from the crowd of cats, and Windstar lept down to stand next to a sad Applebird. He was unable to keep the excitement out of his voice, try as he might, as he spoke quietly to her.

"Dreamcloud has had my kits!"

"Congratulations," She answered dully. Her friend pressed his muzzle into her fur.

"Applebird," He sighed. "You don't love me. That much is obvious. Try again with Birchpelt."

"No," She shook her head. "It's wrong."

But Windstar's pale green eyes caught hers.

"Sometimes, you have to do the wrong things for the right reason."

xxx

"Birchpelt!"

The tabby tom turned his head to see that all-too-familiar she-cat watching him with hazel eyes.

"Applebird?" He asked sharply. "What are you doing on ThunderClan territory. Is something wrong with our kits?" 'Our kits' was stated in an ashamed tone, and he looked at his paws.

Applebird simply padded up to him, standing near him. "Birchpelt," She confessed. "I love you. I never stopped. Maybe you did, but I didn't. I tried, and I got very close to loving Windstar, but... he loves Dreamcloud-"

Birchpelt's eyes widened. _"What?"_

_  
_Applebird winced. She hadn't meant to say that. "Please don't tell Firestar," She murmured. "You know how it was with us.."  
Slowly, Birchpelt, being Birchpelt, nodded his head. "Go on." His voice was a bit shaky.

"Seeing them together," Applebird continued. "I was a bit jealous, but it reminded me of us. We used to be so close, we used to love each other."

"And..." Birchpelt seemed unable to form a sentence.

"And?" Applebird asked, surprised.

"And I guess, maybe we still can," He finally sighed, pressing his face close to hers. "I'm sorry, Applebird," Birchpelt whispered. "It was wrong... so wrong, for me to stop things when we still loved each other."

The she-cat happily twined her tail with his. "Things are right now, aren't they?"

xxx

Dreamcloud looked fondly down at her kits.

"Your life will never be the same, you know," Whiteleaf sighed, looking down at her own sleeping pair. "Worrying when the get coughs, watching them become warriors, trying to protect them in battle..."

Dreamcloud nodded, but at the same time, flexed the long claws that had made her feared in other Clans; claws that had helped to kill Blackstar.

Claws that would always be a reminder of the darker side of her heritage.

"I know I'll love being a queen," She said. "But I'm missing my life as a warrior."

"I don't know," Whiteleaf purred. "This life is pretty comfortable; including the time you carry the kits, eight moons of relaxation, apprentices hunting for you... all you have to do is care for your kits."

"I know," Dreamcloud sighed. "But I miss the nice time spent hunting, and the satisfaction of winning a battle."

"I would expect so," Whiteleaf admitted. "You know, with that prophecy you were in moons ago." She blinked thankfully. "If it wasn't for you and Windstar, I don't know where we'd be."

The thought of going through another prophecy scared Dreamcloud. And yet, StarClan said it was her destiny...

_What are your destinies? _she thought, gazing at her kits one more time before falling asleep.

xxx

_"Windstar."_

_  
The tom opened his eyes to find Spottedleaf, a familiar face, watching him. Her amber eyes glowed with affection, but worry as well._

_"The kits shall be blessed and cursed."_

_xxx_

_Dreamcloud looked down at her nest, but saw nothing... nothing but blood. She heard faint mewling, and raced out of the den._

_"My kits!" She shrieked. "Where are my kits?"_

_  
The mewling grew louder and louder, filling her ears... Amber eyes flashed in front of her._

_"I wanted to be with you," An aching voice said in her ears. _

_  
That's when she saw them. Three tiny, innocent little kits. Birdkit. Rockkit. Scarlettkit._

_All dead._

_Their throats were slashed open, and claws marks riddled their soft kit fur. The mewling stopped as their mother's eyes were set on them._

_"Maybe this was their destiny," Silverstream whispered sadly in her ear._

_"This can't be their destiny!" Dreamcloud desperately nudged the kits, but to no avail. "Come on! Birdkit, Rockkit, Scarlettkit! You can't be dead, you're all right! You're alive!"_

_  
To her horror, Scarlettkit's eyes flashed open, not normal, a piercing emerald green._

_"If I had been born to a different mother," She whispered. "Maybe I could have lived."_

_And her eyes closed, and she was still._

_"No! Please no!" An edge of insanity was on Dreamcloud's voice. She whirled around to Silverstream._

_"Please help me!" She wailed. But the queen faded away._

_"Windstar?" Dreamcloud called, looking around the still, quiet camp. "Windstar, where are you?"_

_A voice echoed in her head like a drum, chanting just this:_

_"Blessed and cursed, blessed and cursed, blessed and cursed..."_

_"Dreamcloud?"_

_  
Her mate's voice was like a savior, and she turned to see him running towards her._

_"What's wrong?" He asked._

_"Oh, Windstar," Dreamcloud cried. "The kits! They're-"_

_  
But her words were changed into an endless wail as a cat lept at Windstar, driving his body into the earth._

xxx

"Are you all right!"

"No!" Dreamcloud yowled, her eyes flying open. Whiteleaf stood over her, a worried look on her face.

"My kits!" Dreamcloud whispered, checking next to her. Sure enough, there were all three, fine and sleeping.

"Thank StarClan," She sighed. relief in her voice. It was just a dream.

No.

Just a nightmare.

"Whatever you dreamt about must've been pretty bad," Whiteleaf mewed sympathetically. "You kept muttering about your kits."

"It was awful," Dreamcloud admitted, standing. "Can you watch them?" She asked hesitantly. "I'd like to go get a drink."

The pale queen nodded, then sat down next to the nest.

Dreamcloud sleepily wandered out into darkness. She blinked. That was kind of a surprise, it being the middle of the night.

Slowly, she padded to a nearby stream, and saw something which didn't surprise her.

Two cats, sleeping side by side, hidden by bushes. They probably were going to wake up before everyone else.

Calicofur and Spiderleg.

xxx

_**R and R! I hope you're liking the saga as much as I like writing it... it's my favorite to write at the moment, I love the characters so much...**_


	24. Clouds

_**Chapter Twenty-four: Clouds**_

_**Everyone has a secret. A forbidden relationship, an attempted murder.**_

_**  
But all secrets come out with time. **_

_**Time... and vengeance.**_

xxx

Swift looked up at the starry sky. The den she and Blizzard stayed in-platonically, of course-had a perfect view of the stars. They glittered in her gray fur.

"Do you see anything?" Blizzard asked, padding up to stand next to her. Swift shook her head.

"I wish I did. So much has changed in our lives lately. I was captured by the Twolegs... perfectly horrible, but without, I wouldn't have gained a friend-Windstar." She looked at him, affection in her eyes. "And I wouldn't have been reunited with things."

"From every bad thing, comes a good thing," Blizzard murmured, pressing his muzzle into her fur for a moment before silently walking back into the den to go to sleep.

"Does it?" Swift asked the sky.

"Do not fear, Swift," Came a deep voice, achingly familiar.

She turned slowly to find an elderly badger watching her, stars in her fur.

"Midnight!" She cried softly. "I was worried about you..." She looked at her paws.

"Why?" Midnight asked.

"Well... Badgers don't have anything like SkyPack, or StarClan, so-"

"Worry not," Midnight assured her. "Fear you should not have for me."

"What?" The wolf-dog's tail went up in alert. "Then... who should I fear for?"

"Fear for ones who have done much," Midnight urged her. "Enemies are friends. Torn they will be. The rest I cannot tell you."

Swift closed her eyes slowly with annoyance. "I had a feeling that you would say that." She sighed.

"You have gift," Midnight told her. "Walk with other ancestors, you can. Help."

Slowly, the badger began to fade, leaving just a wolf-dog, looking up at the sky.

(AN: And that concludes my little Yoda Midnight portion)

xxx

Midnight lumbered up to the pale tabby she-cat, who looked into the pond with amber eyes.

"Crowfeather..." She murmured sadly. Her nose twitched, and she looked up sharply at the sight of the badger. "Midnight?"

"She is told," Midnight said solemnly, then gazed off into the distance, beginning to wander off...

"Midnight!" Leafpool called suddenly. "Can you perhaps tell Swift to give Crowfeather a message from me...?"

Sadly, Midnight shook her head. "That I cannot do," She admitted. "Feared is Swift; it will take a while before accepted. Walked in his dreams, you once did; perhaps you can again."

Without another word, she walked off into the darkness, disappearing.

Leafpool sighed. Why had StarClan taken her so soon? Why had so many medicine cats been killed so soon?

"Do you think Calicofur will be able to handle it?" She asked the cat limping to her side. Cinderpelt gave her former apprentice a quick lick on the ear.

"Of course she will," She soothed. "If Calicofur could get a queen through that hard a kitting, she can do anything."

Leafpool tilted her head from side to side. "I just... it's hard, you know?" She murmured. "Leaving your family behind so soon. My father, my mother, my sister... my niece."

"You get used to it," Cinderpelt mewed. "One cat I thought I'd never see again was my mother, Frostfur. But I did."

"It is nice to see you again," Leafpool admitted. "But I'll miss my other friends, like Mothwing and Sorreltail..."

Her voice became very soft.

"Crowfeather."

"You'll still be able to watch over him," Cinderpelt reasoned. "All of them."

"But I won't be able to be with them. And isn't that what matters?"

Cinderpelt's blue eyes glowed in the eternal starlight.

"What matters is that we do all we can."

xxx

"We should really tell Firestar about Leafpool," Spiderleg murmured, watching as Calicofur sorted through her herbs.

"She's his daughter!" The medicine cat protested.

"Yes," He admitted. "But you need to be recognized by StarClan as an official, full medicine cat. Honestly."

Calicofur looked up. "Oh, all right," She muttered. "I'll tell him."

Right as she said this, Robinpelt called to Spiderleg, "Come on, the patrol needs to start? Are you just going to chat with she-cats all day?"

Spiderleg shrugged as he stood. "Wonder what's got him like a furball," He wondered. "He should be pretty happy."

As the black tom padded over to the middle of the camp, Brambleclaw muttered something in Robinpelt's ear. The younger tom got an annoyed expression on his face and stalked away.

Calicofur could see the burning jealousy in his eyes. Of course the Clan couldn't know what was really bothering her brother. No one knew that the kits weren't his.

Calicofur had watched moons ago when her brother began to fall in love with the beautiful young apprentice named Dreampaw...

_Robinpelt gazed mournfully as the pale ginger she-cat placed a mouse at the fresh-kill pile, then looked eager for her mentor and grandfather's response. Calicofur shook her head. Her brother had been infatuated with Brambleclaw and Squirrellflight's kit-Dreampaw-for suns now._

_"Why don't you just ask her if she wants to eat with you?" She asked._

_Robinpelt shook his head with vigor. "She won't want to."_

"Oh, Robinpelt having she-cat problems?" Leafpool asked as she padded to the mouth of the den. "Calicofur, what are these?"

"Nettle seeds," The apprentice answered quickly, then turned back to her brother. "You'll never know if you don't take a chance," She urged him. Robinpelt gazed at his sister for a moment, then dipped his head.

_"I will."_

Calicofur shook her head. So much had changed since then. Robinpelt had confessed his love, Dreamcloud had rejected him for Windstar, the kits had been born.

Spiderleg...

The image of Robinpelt acting so angry disturbed Calicofur. He wasn't hiding his true feelings well... No, the thought of her brother doing something terribly wrong was impossible.

When they were kits, Robinpelt and Calicofur had been close. They had been the same as apprentices, but once Calicofur decided to be Leafpool's apprentice, everything changed. It was as if they weren't in the same universe anymore.

"When it comes down to it," Calicofur whispered to herself. "Who will I choose to be loyal to? My best friend, or my brother? My calling, or my love?"

xxx

"They've already spent the night here," Windstar reasoned.

"They're wretched creatures!" Nightwing declared. "They don't deserve to be on lands ruled by the Clans."

"'Oh, yeah, it'll be fine, you'll be accepted,'" Swift muttered to Blizzard in a mocking, grumpy tone. The sarcastic young wolf-dog's amber eyes were annoyed.

"It'll be fine," Blizzard assured her, giving her ear a lick. "As long as..." He trailed off, not finishing his sentence.

"The fact is," Windstar yowled to his Clan. "Swift and Blizzard saved me. I think they deserve to be in our territory, to have a home."

"I agree!" Applebird voice her thoughts. Her hazel eyes were lighter than usual, and Windstar suspected that she had made up with her former mate.

"Tawnypelt?" He asked his deputy. Her green eyes showed that she was mulling things over, but she raised her head slowly...

"You're right," She called. "They deserve it!"

"Finally!" Swift and Blizzard said together. Windstar rolled his eyes.

Yowls of agreement came. It seemed like very few cats were worried about the pair staying, and Windstar closed his eyes, content. Life would be perfect if his kits were in the Clan right now.

Besides the Twoleg thing, but he highly doubted they were coming back.

Little did he know, there were bigger problems ahead.

xxx

Dreamcloud winced as she heard the thin wailing coming from Firestar's den; her mother's voice. It was joined by Sandstorm's, and she knew what was going on. Slowly, she stood and padded into the den.

"She told you too, right?" She asked her family. Firestar, numb with shock, simply nodded. Dreamcloud pressed her pelt up close to his; they had always been closer than most grandparents and grandkits.

"You should go back to the nursery," Firestar whispered. "Don't want your kits to get cold."

Dreamcloud nodded, licked both her mother and grandmother, and walked back to the den to curl around her kits. The dream couldn't have been true...

Could it?

"They are blessed and cursed, you know," And all-too-familiar voice whispered in her ear, and she winced.

Leafpool's voice.

"Blessed because they are the kits of the Chosen, and cursed because of their heritage as well. The other side of it. Blackstar and Tigerstar's blood has merged..."

Dreamcloud shook her head, clearing the voice away. "If you're implying that the nightmare is coming true," She hissed under her breath, gazing at her kits. "Then you're wrong." A hard glint came into her amber eyes.

"If anybody wants to harm my kits, they'll have to go through me first. And that isn't happening."

xxx

**_Since she's no longer pregnant, even though she's nursing kits, Dreamcloud's starting to go back to hard-core warrior mode. Except, at the same time, she's a mama, which makes her worse..._**

**_Btw, which has been better in your opinion? Sunlit Snowdrift, or Invasion?_**


	25. 25

_**Chapter Twenty-five: Unexpected**_

_**Two weeks later...**_

"Oh, look at them!" Dreamcloud exclaimed, excitement in her voice. "Look, Whiteleaf, the kits have opened their eyes!"

Scarletkit, as if she understood what her mother was saying, turned her head toward the white queen and blinked her milky blue eyes, letting out a mew. Kits' eyes were always that color till they were three moons old.

Rockkit and Birdkit sat side by side, their silky little pelts touching. The three had just started to learn how to sit up. Dreamcloud silently thought of how, soon, she would want to take the kits to see their father. Maybe even today.

"Robinpelt will be proud," Whiteleaf commented. "The first litter of kits he's ever fathered."

Dreamcloud simply twitched her tail uncomfortably, nudging a crawling Scarletkit back into the nest. Though the flame-colored kit was still the smallest, she was the most curious. Calicofur, who was now the official medicine cat, said that as long as she didn't get ill or injured, the kit would make it.

However, Dreamcloud's dream still worried her. Who knew what was going to happen? She grouped her kits in to her subconciously.

"Yes," She said faintly. "I'm sure he will be."

Hearing his name, the golden tabby tom padded into the nursery, lifted his white paws carefully to keep from messing up the nests. His amber eyes met Dreamcloud's, and for some reason, a shock traveled through her body.

"The kits have opened their eyes," She muttered, looking away from him. He gave a curt nod, then began to inspect each one, especially Scarletkit.

"This one's weak," He meowed. Both queen's eyes flared with anger, and Dreamcloud's sun-colored pelt bristled.

"She's not deaf, you know!" The queen spat. "Can't you be more supportive of your own daughter?"

She knew she had said the wrong thing, but didn't care. Contempt showed up on Robinpelt's eyes, and he stalked out of the nursery.

"I wonder what his problem is," Whiteleaf asked gently. Dreamcloud shook her head, as if flinging rain from her eyes.

"They're only half a moon old," She murmured. "They're so young..."

Whiteleaf nodded, then her pale green eyes fell on the kits. How odd it seemed, that none of them looked like their father. Birdkit had Dreamcloud's pale ginger pelt, but even more pale, almost white, which was strange... Rockkit was brownish, but darker, like Brambleclaw, and had white flecks. Scarletkit was flame-colored and long pelted, but had some features that weren't Dreamcloud's or Robinpelt's. All of them did.

How strange.

xxx

"All right, Acornkit, please eat these," Calicofur murmured, touching her nose to the few poppy seeds that lay on the ground. The gray and white tomkit wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"I don't like those."

"I know," Calicofur mewed. "But they'll make that thorn stop hurting so much."

After a moment, the kit reluctantly licked the seeds up, and Calicofur concentrated on the thorn in his pad. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spiderleg conversing with Dreamcloud. The queen was finally starting to leave the nursery a bit, and chat with friends. Calicofur, though, could see the yearning in her friend's eyes; she wanted to be a warrior again.

Acornkit gave a squeak of pain, and she went back to pulling the thorn out ever so gently with her teeth. "Be very still, Acornkit."

Whiteleaf and Sootfur's son simply glared.

As annoying as they could be, Calicofur loved kits. Their innocence captured her heart... this was probably why she spent so much time around Dreamcloud's kits. The thorn was finally pulled out, and despite his attitude before, Acornkit gave her a quick lick on the nose, mewing, "Thanks, Calicofur!" and bounced off to play with his sister.

A soft whisper alerted Calicofur to who was standing behind her. "Can I call in a favor?"

She spun around to find Dreamcloud. "What?" She asked.

"Help me introduce Windstar to the kits," Dreamcloud murmured. "Send a message to him to meet me in the clearing, and help me bring the kits there. Please?"

Calicofur was hesistant, but agreed, beginning to pad off toward ShadowClan grounds.

xxx

"Oh... StarClan..." Calicofur whispered, looking at the two gigantic creatures towering over her. What had Windstar done?

"Don't be scared," The female one assured her. "We won't eat you."

"You're too thin for us," The male joked, but still frightened the medicine cat. A tired sigh came from behind them.

"Swift, Blizzard-Calicofur?"

Windstar padded into view, a confused look on his face. "Uh, not to be rude," The young leader said. "But what are you doing here?" Fright entered his face. "Is something wrong with Dreamcloud? The kits?"

"Everything's fine," Calicofur sighed, trying to control her breathing. "Their eyes have opened."

Windstar's own pale green eyes lit up. "They have?" He asked excitedly. "I have to see them!"

"That's what it's abou-"

"Wait just one moment," Swift growled, glaring at the white tom. "I don't get it. Why can't you just see your mate and kits without this cat having to come in?" It dawned on her. "Oh no..."

"Knowing him," Blizzard barked dryly. "That'll be an 'oh yes.'"

"Truthfully," Windstar admitted. "Dreamcloud's in ThunderClan. But that's not important right now. I need to see my kits."

xxx

Dreamcloud carefully nosed Scarletkit, Rockkit, and Birdkit along. The kits could barely walk, but she and Calicofur couldn't carry all of them, and it wasn't far away. Every now and then, one of them would carry the most tired one for a bit.

"Dreamcloud..." A familiar voice had an edge of awe to it. "They've grown so much."

Windstar padded out of the shadows(AN: Come on. Windstar. Appearing out of shadows. You KNOW it's a cool scene), his green eyes on his mate and the three little kits at her paws.

Dreamcloud half-wished that Birdkit, Rockkit, and Scarletkit would remember this moment, but they wouldn't. And it was best that they didn't, anyway.

But she was still delighted at what happened next.

Windstar had bent his head down to get a better look at the kits, and without any fear, Scarletkit stretched her head up and touched noses with her father.

"She has a lot of curiosity," Windstar purred. "A good quality."

"And a bad one at times," Calicofur said, sounding as worried as if they were her own kits.

"They're looking great," Windstar commented, proud eyes on his son, who was clawing a scrap of leaf.

"Scarletkit and Birdkit will be quite the catches to toms when they're older," Dreamcloud teased, watching her daughters. Birdkit was gazing up at the sky, wonder in her eyes, while Scarletkit was toppling over her own paws trying to claw her mother's tail. Dreamcloud was twitching it back and forth.

"Like their mother," Calicofur joined in.

"I really don't want to think about that yet," Windstar growled, unsheathing his claws at the very thought of his daughters growing up...

"I wish their eyes would be the proper color already," Dreamcloud sighed. "But I have a feeling that Rockkit's are going to be like yours."

"How do you know?"

"She-cat's intuition."

Calicofur looked away as the two spoke about their kits. A stab of pain clenched her heart. Would she ever have that? Not likely. After all, what could a medicine cat have, even with a secret mate, without exposing her secret?

"By the way," Windstar said casually. "If two huge creatures named Swift and Blizzard happen to come your way-they're friends."  
"What?" Dreamcloud meowed.

"Don't ask."

xxx

_**Hmm... My dog just had a c-section to deliver 7 pups, so I'll be busy. Ch. 26 is written, though, so gimme some reviews, and it'll be up very soon. Also, people have thought I'm stalling. I have introduced several new characters (the kits, the wolves) and can't exactly rush them into the plot without developing them a bit. Action will be in the next chappie, I promise.**_


	26. Meaning

_**Chapter Twenty-six: Meaning**_

"Watch this!" Scarletkit mewed, racing at her mother. "See?" She cried, stretching her claws out to the full length.

A pang shot through Dreamcloud's heart. Like her own, Scarletkit's claws were long, especially for a two moon old kit. Yes, amazingly, two moons had passed, and all three kits were fine.

"Yes," She said, mustering up a purr. "Your claws are lovely, Scarletkit."

Her daughter, looking proud, strode off. Dreamcloud's stomach churned as she watched her kits mewing and rolling around. That dream still echoed in her mind.

"They're growing fast," Robinpelt commented, sitting down beside her.

"Er, yes," Dreamcloud replied, unable to disguise the surprise in her voice. "I guess they are." She paused for a moment, before finally blurting out, "What are you doing here?"

Robinpelt beckoned for her to follow him behind the nursery.

"I figure that, since I'm the kits surrogate father, I might as well act like one," The tom explained. Dreamcloud was silent, and he narrowed his eyes. "You are going to tell them I'm their father, right?"

The ginger queen finally nodded. "I will," She sighed. It was the logical thing to do. And yet, a part of her had secretly yearned to tell the kits the truth when they were older, maybe when they were apprentices.

"Let me introduce you properly to them," Dreamcloud murmured, padding toward where the kits played. Robinpelt followed eagerly.

"Birdkit, Rockkit, Scarletkit," She called softly. "I want you to meet a very important cat."

Warmth spread over Robinpelt at her words. If he forgot about Windstar, then he could call the kits his own easily!

"Who's he?" Rockkit asked curiously.

"I remember him!" Birdkit mewed excitedly. "He visited us in the nursery a long time ago..."

Dreamcloud's heart began to pound furiously. The kits remembered a visit when they were only half a moon old? What if... what if they remembered that time they saw their real father? Luckily, none seemed to show any signs they did.

"I did," Robinpelt said gently, amber eyes glowing. But not as brightly as Windstar's had. The kits had visited him two times after the first, but it had been a while since they had.

"This is Robinpelt," Dreamcloud meowed, paused, then started again. "Your father."

All three kits' eyes went wide, but for some reason, Scarletkit's narrowed, and she padded delicately up to the tom and sniffed him carefully.

"He doesn't look like us," She commented. "Doesn't smell like us either."

The two older cats exchanged worried glances. This wasn't supposed to be happening.

"A cat doesn't have to look or smell like you to be kin," Dreamcloud murmured, giving Scarletkit a quick lick. The kit was silent for a moment, then shrugged, scampering off, her siblings following.

"Er," Robinpelt muttered, averting his eyes from Dreamcloud as he spoke. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," She purred. "After all this, any time."

The tom glanced toward the kits and Whiteleaf nearby. "Privately?"

A sick feeling came to her stomach. "Oh... sure."

xxx

"Of course," Windstar hissed. "It'd be just like him to pounce on her when I'm not around."

"All they were doing was taking a walk," Swift sighed. "She's been in the nursery for two moons. Dreamcloud will want to take a walk."

Blizzard resisted rolling his eyes. Yesterday, he and Swift had happened upon Dreamcloud taking a walk with Robinpelt. They had casually mentioned this to Windstar, and after some interrogation, the leader had figured out which tom it was.

And he was not happy.

"He's been head over paws for her since she was an apprentice!" Windstar spat, unsheathing his claws and flexing them dangerously. His green eyes were flashing with jealousy. "If you knew Robinpelt, you'd worry."

Blizzard shook his head, creamy ruff becoming a mane in the wind. Swift shot a conspiuous glance at him then looked down at her paws, embarrassed. This would be very awkward if he saw her the next time she stared...

"Oh," She teased. "You're just being jealous."

"Am not," Her friend growled.

"Are too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Not, not, no-"

"WILL YOU TWO PLEASE STOP ACTING LIKE PUPS?" Blizzard finally howled. Both Swift and Windstar blinked.

"I believe the phrase for us cats would be 'kits'," Windstar finally said. He was getting used to Blizzard(who could now speak heavily accented cat), but still corrected him when he mistook a word.

Blizzard simply glared.

"We all in this den seem to have issues," He finally growled. "_You_," He nodded toward Windstar. "Are basically breaking a law."  
Windstar shrugged. He really was getting used to it.

"What about you and Swift?" He asked, his voice full of implications.

"We have... other problems," Swift growled.

"Such as?" The white tom pressed. Swift and Blizzard exchanged nervous glances.

"We'll tell you later."

xxx

Time was passing slowly for Calicofur. It seemed like she had been waiting for an eternity for Spiderleg to arrive.

That's when she heard a low voice. "You know, you really shouldn't be hanging around him anymore."

Quickly, Calicofur spun on her paws to find none other than Yellowfang watching her. She narrowed her blue eyes.

"I love Spiderleg," She declared. "I won't give up on him."

"But what if your heart gets broken?" Yellowfang asked.

Calicofur was silent for a moment. "Then let it be broken," She finally hissed. "At least I'll know I loved him, and he loved me."  
The medicine cat stared at her for a long time, then began to fade away, a sad look on her face.

"I wonder what's taking him so long!" Calicofur sighed, beginning to pace. Right at that moment, a gray tom cat stalked into view.

"Calicofur?"

She looked up. "Yes, Rainwhisker?"

The tom's blue eyes were sad. "I know you were good friends with Spiderleg..."

Oh no. Calicofur's heart began to beat quicker than usual.

"He was hunting with me when he... slipped into the lake," Rainwhisker sighed. "I'm sorry. We were kind of on a rocky overhang, and he was after a bird, when his paws got wet, and..."

He gently placed a scrap of black fur at her paws. It was wet, but still held that scent she knew and loved.

"I tried going after him... but it was too late. All I got was this bit of fur."

"No," Calicofur whispered. "It can't be." It _couldn't _be! First Leafpool, now this?

"I can see you need time to grieve," Rainwhisker assured her, and slowly backed into the shadows. Once he was gone, Calicofur simply lay down, taking the scrap of fur and rhythmically licking it, muttering, "It can't be... no... it can't be..." over and over again.

(AN: Told you this chap would have action!)

xxx

Dreamcloud sat down, curling her tail over her paws, waiting for Robinpelt to spit whatever it was out. The tabby tom licked one white paw nervously, took a deep breath, and looked into her eyes.

"I love you, Dreamcloud."

She stiffened. Not this again. Didn't he get the picture the first time?

"I'm sorry," She began. "But-"

"Listen to me," Robinpelt begged. "I must love you if I'm trying again!"

"It doesn't matter if you love me or not," Dreamcloud mewed gently. "I don't love you."

Robinpelt gazed into her eyes. "Don't you?" He growled. Dreamcloud's eyes widened, and she looked down; but little did the tom know she was slowly sheathing and unsheathing her claws.

"I don't," She hissed. "I love-"

"Windstar!" Robinpelt spat. "He hasn't seen you for a while, and he's ShadowClan's leader! You... you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"I've known ever since I first fell in love with him moons ago," Dreamcloud insisted. "And that's the thing. I love him enough to cross boundaries like this."

"Fine," Robinpelt snarled. "If you don't care... what if you had another litter of kits? What about them? Because I wouldn't pretend to be their father, Dreamcloud. Who would? Fatherless kits... that's sad."

xxx

Windstar watched as his friend walked through the camp towards him, Blizzard at her side. Something was different about the way Swift moved. She was careful, as if subconciously worrying about something.

It seemed strangely familiar.

_Dreamcloud winced as she stepped carefully towards him._

_"What's wrong?" Windstar asked._

_"Nothing," She sighed, casting a glance at her well-muscled stomach. "I'm just... I don't know, really. Just extra careful."_

"I've got to be wrong," Windstar muttered to himself. "I would notice something like them... together... wouldn't I?"

Then again, he wasn't really into others' affairs. It was really kind of awkward, and he had a love life that would probably kill most, so-

In other words, no, he WOULDN'T notice something like that, would he?

"I'm an idiot," He hissed to himself.

"We just thought you should know something," Blizzard's voice woke him from his mental coma.

"Yes?"

Windstar was afraid he knew what would come out of Swift's mouth. The wolf-dog took in a deep breath, and said:

"I'm having pups!"

xxx

_**Hah. How's that for a nice, interesting, non-slow chapter? I think I may actually have Windstar kick a few cats' butts next chapter. And despite her queen-ly status, Dreamcloud as well, since it's a hobby of hers...**_


	27. Stolen

_**Chapter Twenty-seven: Stolen**_

Windstar blinked.

"You're what?" He asked blankly, as if he hadn't heard what Swift had said.

"I'm having pups," She yipped.

Windstar shook his head. What had she just said? She was having pups? Only one thing sprung into his mind.

_Pregnant creatures must REALLY like me._

It was true! As soon as Dreamcloud started to expect kits, it seemed like the entire forest began booming with pesky little creatures. And now Swift was adding to that.

"Really?" Windstar finally meowed. "I didn't even know you two were mates." He set a solid, steady glare on Blizzard. Amazing as it was, Windstar kind of felt almost like Swift was a littermate, his sister, and he had a feeling that this was what brothers were supposed to do.

"Well," Blizzard finally said, scuffing one paw in the dirt. "It's not exactly something we wanted to advertise..."

"You at least could have told _me_."

"We thought that, you being a father, you would figure it out sooner or later," Swift barked, narrowing her eyes. "You must be very dense."

Windstar hissed at her, but had to admit that now that he really looked at Swift, he didn't know how he missed it. It wasn't like she was terribly swollen(though he would tell her the opposite for that dense comment), but she just seemd... different. The same different Dreamcloud had seemed.

"There's another thing," Blizzard added.

"What?" Windstar had an exhausted feeling, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. And really, if StarClan was right about his 'destiny' then the Clans' world literally would be. On his and Dreamcloud's, that is.

"Yes?" He asked.

"We met two other wolves, mates," Swift said excitedly.

"OH. Really?" Windstar asked cautiously. He had a strange feeling about what was going to happen...

"And the female is an old friend of mine," Blizzard added. "So, we were wondering-"

"Yes, fine," Windstar sighed.

"Well, actually," Swift said. "The female is expecting pups as well, due any day now. Did you ever notice that patch of unclaimed territory nearby ShadowClan's territory?"

Windstar thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Since there'll be pups, and these two new ones, us," Blizzard continued. "We spoke to the two other wolves-respectable pair-Luka and Timber. They agreed on our idea-"

"Which is?"

"Once all the pups are old enough to move, we start our own pack."

Windstar was silent for a moment. "Well," He finally said. "It's fine for me, as long as you promise to visit-"

"You'll be welcome to as well."

"Thanks. And I'll need to talk it over at the Gathering-which is tonight. You two should come, so the other leaders can meet you. What would you call it, anyway?"

"SwiftPack," Blizzard said before his mate could stop him. Swift looked immensely embarrassed. "You see," The wolf barked. "We took a vote, and since Swift was the first one to meet you, thus starting the events that led up to this, we decided to name the pack after her."

"SwiftPack," Windstar mused. "I like it."

xxx

"Calicofur," Came a hesitant mew. "What's wrong?"

Calicofur opened her eyes to find the milky blue ones of Dreamcloud's kits, all gathered around her. Their mother sat a few feet away, watching with worried eyes that were settled on the scrap of fur at Calicofur's paws. News of Spiderleg's death had traveled quickly.

Spiderleg's death. _Spiderleg's death. _The thought made Calicofur sick to her stomach. But she loved her friend's kits, so she raised her head and gave Scarletkit, the one who had spoken, and affectionate lick.

"Nothing," She sighed. "I'm just a little sad over Spiderleg, that's all."

A little sad. Her heart was dissolving.

"Was he your friend?" Rockkit asked. The brownish tom's large eyes were on the medicine cat.

"Yes," Calicofur finally said. "Along with your mother, he was my best friend ever."

"We're sorry," Birdkit murmured. Scarletkit simply touched her little pink nose to Calicofur's ruffled, ungroomed pelt. The medicine cat certainly looked like she was in bad shape. They hadn't even been able to find Spiderleg's body...

"Come on, kits," Dreamcloud murmured, beckoning them with her tail. "Calicofur needs to grieve, and you three need to go back to the nursery."

"It's all right," Calicofur protested, but Dreamcloud met her gaze evenly.

"I need to talk to you alone, Calicofur."

Great. Something else was wrong. As Dreamcloud shooed her kits inside the nursery, Calicofur had a sickening feeling that she knew who it was about.

xxx

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Calicofur asked. Dreamcloud swiped a nervous paw over her ear.

"Well," She sighed. "To be completely honest, Robinpelt."

Calicofur was silent.

"I don't want to distress you anymore," Dreamcloud said quickly. "So if you don't want to-"

"No," Calicofur held up a silencing paw. "Continue."

"He tried to get me to be his mate," Dreamcloud finally began. "He told me he loved me, and Windstar wasn't a good father for the kits." Dreamcloud's amber eyes met Calicofur's sky blue ones. "Calicofur, I think he's going to do something... drastic."

Calicofur bowed her head. She and Robinpelt had been so out of synch lately, but she knew that he would.

"Dreamcloud," She mewed. "I _know _he will. He's obsessed with you."

xxx

"Er, sorry," Onestar meowed. "But what are you called again?"

"Technically," Swift barked. "Wolves. I've got a nasty bit of dog-blood in me, but barely."

"They seem friendly," Firestar said calmly.

"They are," Windstar said quickly.

The wolves were sitting at the base of the tree, bored expressions on their faces. Only the ShadowClan cats, Dreamcloud and Calicofur didn't act scared around them.

"I'm in," Firestar finally said. "They helped recue Clan cats."

"Finally," Windstar muttered under his breath.

"I trust Windstar," Mistystar mewed. "He helped defeat Blackstar and that's good enough for me."

All glanced at Onestar.

"Fine," He sighed.

Swift and Blizzard exchanged amused glances. Looking up, they saw Windstar wink at them. This had been too easy.

xxx

"What do you think Robinpelt would do?" Dreamcloud asked Calicofur the day after the Gathering.

Her friend looked at her paws. They were just outside her den, and she was tired. "I don't know," She admitted. "But something that would enable him to hurt both of you in some way."

"We're in two different Clans," Dreamcloud pointed out. "He can't exactly get us right there."

"True," Calicofur said. "He won't physically hurt you, and not Windstar either-too obvious."

"Then what would he do?"

There was a long silence, and both she-cats froze, their eyes reflecting horror. No. Robinpelt couldn't be that bad. Dreamcloud's heart began to pound triple the regular rate, and she was only able to whisper one thing:

"The kits."

Both rushed towards the nursery, where Whiteleaf was out with her kits. Dreamcloud had taken hers in for a nap...

The nest was empty.

Except for a little scrap of flame colored kit-fur.

And blood.

xxx

_**Dun, dun... DUN! R and R!**_


	28. Discovered

_**Chapter Twenty-eight: Discovered**_

"My kits!" Dreamcloud cried, desperately searching the nursery for them. But all she saw was a few drops of blood here and there.

Her kits' blood.

"No!" She wailed. "It can't be! The dream can't be coming true!"

"Dreamcloud?" She turned to find a stiffening Calicofur. "You had a dream?"

"Yes," Dreamcloud panted. "They were all dead! The kits! Windstar..." Her amber eyes lit up. "Windstar! I need to tell him, maybe-"

At that moment, Firestar padded into the nursery, his eyes narrowed. "What's going o-" He froze when he saw the scrap of fur... and the blood...

"It isn't...?" The leader trailed off, unable to say anything else.

"Somebody stole my kits," Dreamcloud whispered, her eyes on that scrap of ginger fur. "Somebody stole them. I have to get my kits back!"

"Dreamcloud," Firestar meowed gently, sadly. "It looks like whoever took the kits..."

"No!" Dreamcloud snarled, pelt bristling. "They aren't dead! None of them are dead! I'm going to find them."

Without another word, she bounded out of the nursery. Calicofur's blue eyes widened, and Firestar shook his head.

"I'm not letting my granddaughter get killed by some crazy cat who murders kits!" He hissed, and followed. Dreamcloud was a queen who was still suckling kits. According to Calicofur, she would have to wait one more moon before she could go and start getting back in shape. Firestar, though getting older, and having only two lives left(AN: He had four in the start of the series, but lost two in between Sunlit Snowdrift and Invasion), was in shape, and fast.

But one thing he didn't have was this.

Dreamcloud was a queen running to save her kits. She would do anything.

Firestar panted as he tried to catch up with her, Calicofur at his heels. Where was Dreamcloud going? It seemed like she had a purpose...

The tom slowed up as the ShadowClan border came into view. Surely she would stop now.

"Don't!" Calicofur yowled, but to Firestar's shock, Dreamcloud simply ran over the border without a care.

"What's she doing?" Firestar spat, turning to the medicine cat. She looked guiltily away. Calicofur had never been good at keeping secrets when pressured.

"Calicofur," Firestar growled. "I, as your leader, command you to tell me where my granddaughter is going and why."

She tried to stay quiet, but it was too much. More guilt was setting in...

"Robinpelt isn't the father of Dreamcloud's kits," Calicofur finally blurted out, and added in a much smaller voice:

"Windstar is."

Firestar gaped, then recovered himself. "Windstar?" He asked shakily. "Windstar, as in leader of ShadowClan."

"He was Windshadow when they found out," Calicofur reasoned, but it did no good.

"How long has this been going on?" Firestar snarled angrily, pelt bristling.

"Well..." Calicofur thought back. "Virtually from when they were apprentices, but they weren't mates then."

"I should have known," Firestar murmured. "She was always close to him at Gatherings..."

"Please don't tell the Clan," Calicofur begged suddenly, knowing that it was the right thing to do. "Think of the kits... your great-grandkits, whether you like it or not. Sure, they were sired by Blackstar's son, but you of all cats should pity forbidden lovers."

"Graystripe and Silverstream?" Firestar was confused. "That was different, he was my friend-"

"I wasn't talking about them." Calicofur's eyes and voice were equally icy. "I'm a medicine cat. I walk with StarClan-so do Dreamcloud and Windstar. We all know about how you loved Spottedleaf, a medicine cat, when you were an apprentice."  
"It never became anything-"

"You still loved her."

Firestar dipped his head. "I love Sandstorm now," He protested weakly.

"The past is the past, Firestar. You can't make it disappear."(AN: A rare Calicofur power moment)

The tom finally nodded slowly. "Fine. I won't tell the Clan. But we still have to stop her."

"Why?" Calicofur asked. "She's just trying to get her kits back."

"You know as well as I do that they're dead. I will not have my kin killed in something-"

"You _don't _think they're dead, truly, I can see that!" Calicofur protested. "We at least need to try."

xxx

"Oh thank goodness," Dreamcloud breathed when she saw the white tom conversing with the wolves in a cave. This way, she was technically not on ShadowClan territory anymore. She had just slipped through it. "Windstar!" She called desperately.

Her mate turned his head, and his green eyes showed shock. "Why did you come here?" He asked, padding up to her.

"The kits..." She murmured. "The kits were stolen."

Windstar was silent for a moment before saying a single word. "No."

"It's true," Dreamcloud whispered, eyes overwhelmed with sadness, fear... but behind all of that, fury. Fury that burned in her eyes as it had when she was an apprentice and had just met him...(AN: Y'all remember that? Them getting mad at each other at a Gathering... they have come a long way.)

"Wait," Swift said, startled. "Your kits were stolen?" She turned to a different pair of wolves, one dark brown, the other black and silver. She spoke in a deep, barking language. Her native tongue. Obviously, these wolves hadn't been taught cat yet. Both wolves looked shocked, and the female, the black and silver one who's sides were bulging, stood up and barked furiously, snarling, eyes burning. Swift snarled back, but it wasn't like the two were facing off to fight. The brown wolf came to stand beside Blizzard. To everyone's surprise, he spoke in cat-with even more of an accent than Blizzard, but cat.

"My name is Luka," He growled. "This is my mate, Timber." He nodded toward the expectant she-wolf. "We are angered of the thought of young ones being hurt. My mate is too close to delivering our litter to fight, but I will join you."

"As will we," Swift agreed. Blizzard looked worried.

"Your pups-"

"Will be fine," She assured him.

"All right," Windstar said shakily. "Thank-you. Luka, Timber, my name is Windstar, and this is my mate, Dreamcloud." As he spoke, Luka was translating for Timber. "We need to plan things so that the enemy is surprised by you wolves-" He turned to Dreamcloud. "Wait-which piece of crowfood stole our kits?"

Dreamcloud's eyes were icy. "Robinpelt."

Letting out a wordless snarl of rage, Windstar unsheathed his claws and began scraping them across the ground, eyes burning.

"He'll never take another breath after this."

xxx

Calicofur sniffed everywhere for her brother's scent as Firestar organized patrols to keep the Clan busy-to let them know they hadn't given up on the kits. It sickened her that Robinpelt would do something so low as to kill kits...

As she wandered deep into the forest, she realized that she hadn't been in this area ever before. Her eyes narrowed at a rocky ridge ahead, and slowed her quick paces. Carefully, the medicine cat approached it, and without looking inside, kicked a pebble down to see how deep it was. The pebble clicked pretty soon, but along with it came a voice.

"Hello?"

Calicofur froze. "No," She corrected herself softly. "That's not possible."

"Calicofur?" The voice was excited, and familiar. "Calicofur, is that you?"

She couldn't stand it any longer, and rushed to the edge, looking down. Sure enough, there was a black shape with a pair of amber eyes she loved.

"Spiderleg!" Calicofur cried. "It _is _you! But you're suppo-"

"Ssh!" The tom hissed. "Keep your voice down, or they'll hear you."

"Who are they?"

He was reluctant as he spoke. "Calicofur," Spiderleg began. "This may-"

"I know my brother's foxdung," Calicofur hissed. "So just get on with it."

"I overheard Robinpelt plotting with Rainwhisker, Shalefoot, and Dottedtail. They decided to steal Dreamcloud's kits-kits with Windstar-to get to them. To set a trap and kill Windstar, and force Dreamcloud to become a permanent queen and be Robinpelt's mate. Robinpelt said that he would reward the others generously if they helped him. He did the same with Ashfur, you know. Anyway, they saw me, I was caught, and they put me in this pit to die. It's too rocky for me to climb out of."

"I think... I think I can make it a bit easier," Calicofur murmured.

Moments later, she was rolling a log toward the opening. It was rotten and lightweight, but strong enough to hold Spiderleg as he got out.

"Look out," She called as it fell. The tom jumped aside, but then ran up, meeting her purring. They're pelts pressed against each other as they twined around, and finally, Calicofur pressed her face against his.

"I thought I would never see you again."

"Same here."

Calicofur blinked slowly. "We've got to tell the others what's going on!"

Spiderleg mrowwed with laughter. "I can't wait to see Robinpelt once Windstar and Dreamcloud have a hold of him..."

xxx

_**Predictions? Also, the sequel to this(which is ending soon) will be called 'Windchaser, Dreamcatcher', and after that, 'Blood Stained Sky'. Possibly more, but only those two are definite.**_


	29. Sundrown

_**Chapter Twenty-nine: Sun-drown**_

"You're our father!" The little kit mewed. "Why did you steal us?"'

"_You're _much too young to know why," Robinpelt snarled, glaring at the three tiny figures at his paws. For a moment, guilt flashed through his amber eyes, but it was soon replaced by that overwhelming hate when he saw those features of the tom that truly fathered them.

"Robinpelt," Came a cautious voice. "Is this really neccesary?"

Dottedtail, a black and white spotted she-cat padded up, her yellow eyes on the kits. She had been a bit less eager to do this than Rainwhisker and Shalefoot.

"Yes," The tom's tail was lashing from side to side. "It's the ultimate punishment for Dreamcloud and Windstar."

"Who's Windstar?" Rockkit asked curiously.

"Shush!" Dottedtail said sharply, then turned back to her leader. "I don't like their mother one bit, trust me." Jealousy was obvious there. "_But_, the kits did nothing-"'

"Are you in or out?" Robinpelt hissed. "You know what happens if you're out."

Dottedtail looked at her paws. "I'm in," She whispered.

"Right," Robinpelt was pleased. He turned back to the kits, and leaned down close to them.

"Please," Birdkit murmured. "Just let us-"

Robinpelt snarled, and shoved her with one paw. The pale kit went tumbling to the side, her milky eyes wide.

"Don't touch my sister!" Scarletkit hissed, slashing out with her claws, reaching Robinpelt's nose. Little scratch marks covered it.

"You little..." He growled, then called, "Rainwhisker!"

The gray tom padded into view. "Yes, Robinpelt?"

His leader flicked his tail to the flame-colored kit.

"Take care of her."

Rainwhisker picked up the struggling she-kit. "Trust me. She will be."

xxx

"So what about Ashfur?" Calicofur asked, panting as she ran alongside Spiderleg. "Why was he following Robinpelt?"

"I'm not sure..." Spiderleg meowed. "But I think that Robinpelt threatened to kill Ferncloud." Worry flashed through his eyes. "I still can't believe that piece of crowfood is my kin."

"What would you have done?"

The tom was silent for a moment, besides his labored breaths going in and out. In comforted Calicofur, in a strange way.

"I would have told Firestar," Spiderleg finally answered. "There's no way that Robinpelt could get to my mother with Dustpelt, Birchpelt, and I ready to defend her. And she's a warrior too."

He seemed so wise. Like he always knew what to say. Maybe that's why Calicofur was so in love with him...

Suddenly, a scene flashed before Calicofur's eyes, and she skidded to a halt.

_A noiseless wail came from the cat's open jaws as it plummetted towards the lake. Two others stared in horror at the falling figure, and one called desperately, but it was too late... nothing could help the poor cat now._

Calicofur's eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" Spiderleg asked, nudging her gently. Her whole entire body trembled; she knew that cat.

"StarClan, no," The medicine cat whispered, and ran ahead.

xxx

Swift stood straight up, waiting for the right moment to go into battle. Luka and Timber were nearby, and Blizzard was at her side.

"I don't want you fighting, Swift," He murmured in her ear. She gave the creamy wolf an affectionate lick.

"I'll be fine."

"You're carrying pups! Our pups!"

"He's right, you know," Timber said gently. "I fought while I was early on in my first litter, and two pups were stillborn."

Blizzard shot his mate a 'told you' look. Swift licked her chest fur nervously. She didn't want to lose any pups, but at the same time, didn't want to let Windstar, her best friend, get killed in a fight.

"Luka and I will still help," Blizzard assure her. "They're cats. We won't have any problems with one or two."

"Fine," Swift finally whispered. "I'll stay back." She met Blizzard's eyes. "Just... Windstar will do anything for his mate and kits. Help him. I don't want a friend to die."

Blizzard gave her muzzle a lick. "I promise I won't."

xxx

"One of us could die in this battle," Windstar murmured, meeting Dreamcloud's eyes. He could see, off in the distance, the other two pairs, Blizzard and Swift and Luka and Timber, sharing quick moments.

"You won't," Dreamcloud said firmly. "You have nine lives."

"I could easily lose all nine at once, like Tigerstar," He reminded her. "And my father still had five when... when we killed him."

"That won't happen," Dreamcloud whispered. But her haunting dream echoed in her mind. The final moment, the moment where that cat had pounced on Windstar...

_What would I do without you? _she thought, looking into his eyes. She and Windstar had been through a lot. When he had been framed for murdering Leopardstar, when they had faced Blackstar...

"All I care about right now is you and the kits," Dreamcloud declared, placing her head on his shoulder. Windstar licked her forehead.

"And vice versa."

A soft, gentle voice made them both raise their heads at the same time.

"Sun and Snow are united. But prevailing is a difficult task, and sun-drown is very possible."

At the last moment, they both saw Spottedleaf, slowly fading away, as if she hadn't been there in the first place.

"Sun-drown?" Windstar muttered, then turned his head sharply to his mate. "You aren't going into this battle!"

"Yes, I am," Dreamcloud said fiercely. "They're my kits as much as yours. I am their mother. Do you understand that?"

There was a moment of silence, and finally, Windstar bowed his head in defeat. He knew there was nothing he could do to stop her. "Yes."

But if it came down to it...

His life would be the one taken.

xxx

Robinpelt yawned, showing rows of white teeth, as Rainwhisker walked out from a deeper cave in the ledge.

"Well?" He asked. The gray tom bowed his head.

"It's taken care of."

Dottedtail, who had been guarding the two remaining kits, looked up sharply, uneasy. Shalefoot, a mud-colored tom, bounded into view.

"I spotted Ashfur, the one who failed," He reported. Robinpelt casually placed his head on his paws, not really caring.

"And?"

"He's dead now."

A sudden mew came from the kits. "Where's Scarletkit?" Birdkit asked in her high little voice.

"You won't be seeing your pesky sister again," Robinpelt said. "I guess I'll just have to tell your mother that Windstar took you out here and killed her. Of course, I saw him just as he was about to murder another one of you, so I saved the day, sadly having to destroy him in the process."

"Who's Windstar?" Rockkit asked.

For some reason, Robinpelt decided it was better not to say. Once he convinced Brambleclaw to step down as deputy, once Firestar was dead and he was the great Robinstar... then he would tell them. Then he could truly gloat.

"The ShadowClan leader," Was all he said to those vile little creatures. Their faces were distraught over their dead sister...

A sudden voice came from across the ledge, at the entrance.

"Robinpelt. What a surprise."

xxx

Blizzard and Luka stood at what had been, a moment ago, their way to get to the ledge. They had helped Dreamcloud and Windstar track Robinpelt's scent here, but now they were trapped, since a huge log on the top had rolled down, blocking them.

"StarClan..."

Both wolves turned to find a black tom with a brown underbelly, and a calico she-cat with sky blue eyes, staring in shock.

"What happened?" Calicofur whispered.

"We tried to get up to the ledge to help Dreamcloud and Windstar," Blizzard sighed. "But this log's blocking us off!"

Spiderleg gave the area a quick inspection, then sighed. "I don't know what to say."

"Warn your leader," Blizzard decided. "Tell him you have a mangy coyote in your home, and send in backup. Luka and I will find a way in."

Though they had no idea what a 'coyote' was, both cats, darted off, hoping they would be in time...

xxx

Dreamcloud and Windstar stood side by side. Windstar's snowy pelt was bristling, making him look even larger than usual, and Dreamcloud's ginger coat shone like the sun. Her amber eyes lit up.

"My kits! Birdkit, Rockkit-wait? Where's Scarletkit?"

"Mother!" Both kits chorused, but were cuffed by Dottedtail. Dreamcloud's eyes filled with rage.

"Don't... touch... my... kits!"

Claws extended, jaws open in a full battle cry, she attacked the she-cat, slashing into her spotted pelt. Dottedtail gave a yowl of pain, and tried fighting back, but was being given a harsh beating from the queen. Windstar simply watched with cold eyes; Dreamcloud wanted to handle this on her own. Finally, panting, but with barely any wounds on her, the queen stepped back from the traitor, then towards her kits.

"Oh, are you all right?" She asked. "Scarletkit...?"

"Rainwhisker took her away.." Birdkit's voice was trembling.

Both Windstar and Dreamcloud stiffened. Both turned heads and met eyes. Both had looks of horror and utter sadness on their faces.

And both attacked Robinpelt at the same time.

"Traitor!" Dreamcloud screeched, ripping her claws into his neck.

"Now you'll see what pain_ really _is!" Windstar yowled, slashing the tom's face. Dottedtail, Rainwhisker, and Shalefoot hissed and plunged into the battle to help their leader, but the other two cats' fury and grief seemed too strong. Long gouges ran across their sides, and the kits crouched as blood splattered their soft pelts.

Somewhere in that battle, when Windstar and Dreamcloud were battling Dottedtail, Rainwhisker, and Shalefoot at the same time, Robinpelt slipped off. Towards the kits.

"What a waste..."

The menacing growl made the battling cats all turn their heads at once. There stood Robinpelt, holding a frightened Rockkit over the lake.

"Don't!" Dreamcloud cried, racing towards him. She snatched her kit from his jaws, flung the little creature to safety, and...

Slipped.

Her claws scratched at the edge, and Robinpelt just stared in shock.

"Dreamcloud!"

Windstar raced toward his mate, but just as he reached her...

The sun colored she-cat looked at the snowy white tom one last time.

"I love you," She whispered.

And her claws slipped from the edge, sending her plunging into the lake. No cat could have survived it.

"NO!" Windstar yowled, scrambling, but it was too late. He could only stare as she fell to her death. He uttered one thing:

"Sun-drown."

xxx

_**Aw, great. I just killed off one of my main characters... (cries) Anyway, news:**_

**_I just posted a new fic, 'Half Moon', a tagteam with the lovely Blazeheart. _**

**_Find Rainpath, a fic author, go to her forums. She has this fic coming out where authors post their characters and she incorporates them into the story! It ROCKS! I'm Moonstar and Burningpaw! (skips)_**

**_Rainpath: If u for some reason are reading this... TOLDJA I'D ADVERTISE!_**


	30. Finishing It

_**Chapter Thirty: Finishing It**_

Windstar turned very slowly to Robinpelt. His pelt wasn't bristling; he was too sad for that. But his eyes showed that sadness and hate mixed together in a deadly combination.

"You killed her," He growled. "You killed Dreamcloud."

"I-I didn't," Robinpelt stuttered, looking nearly as shocked. He hadn't meant for her to die... "It was your fault!"

"How?" Windstar said smoothly. "Was I the one holding an innocent kit above the lake, and causing his mother to die for him? Was I?"

"I didn't mean to!" Robinpelt protested, backing up. Windstar was slowly walking towards him, muscles rippling under his pelt.

"Oh, so it was an accident that you were about to kill Rockkit?" Windstar laughed humorlessly. "It was an accident you stole the kits in the first place? All an accident?"

"That's not what I said!" Robinpelt whimpered, staring at Windstar's sharp, battle-ready claws. He turned his head toward his comrades. Looks of indecision were on their faces.

"I didn't want her to die, you know," Dottedtail meowed, looking at her paws. "She is my Clanmate."

"Robinpelt," Windstar hissed. "I don't care if you say it was all a big mistake. Cats have to pay for their wrongs, even when they're mistakes. And you know what? You made no mistakes. You got what you wanted; blood on your paws. Now you have to pay for it."

He lept at the enemy, snarling.

xxx

"Robinpelt?" Firestar muttered. "I can't believe this!"

"We've got to go save them," Brambleclaw muttered, his amber eyes shadowed with worry for his daughter and grandkits.

"No," Spiderleg said quickly. "Wait."

All the other cats in Firestar's den, including Calicofur, stared. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

"The wolves," Spiderleg muttered. "What we need to do is find a way for the wolves to get through."

"The wolves?" Sandstorm asked. "They're helping? But they don't have any ties to our Clan."

"Windstar of ShadowClan," Calicofur reminded her. "Dreamcloud's friend. He wants to help, you know. And the wolves are his allies."

Everyone watched Firestar. Finally, he sighed. "All right," He said. "Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight-call Cloudtail. I think kin is what Dreamcloud needs right now, as much kin as she can get."

Firestar had just lost his daughter. He wasn't about to lose Dreamcloud too.

xxx

_A new cat stood before StarClan. The starry cats' eyes were judging._

_"We know you've had a hard life," They said. "But why did you do what you did? It was basically suicide."_

_  
"I can't let my kin be killed," The cat mumbled. "Especially one as close as that."_

_  
"You broke laws," Bluestar pointed out. "You committed horrid deeds."_

_"Yes," The cat answered. "I did. But so did most of the cats here. I have been responsible for many things in life. Some good, some bad. But every cat is born with a chance. Do I still have mine?"_

_  
StarClan murmured among themselves for a moment before Bluestar spoke._

_"Yes. You are accepted into StarClan."_

_  
A little kit ran up to her kin. "It's nice to have you back."_

xxx

Robinpelt coughed as his head was smashed into the dust, and he struggled against Windstar, to no avail. The tom had lost his daughter and his mate in one instance. Not a good day.

"Help me!" He choked out at his followers. Rainwhisker was the first to respond-it was his kin, after all. Windstar deflected the gray tom's blows pretty well, but once Shalefoot and Dottedtail came in, it started getting harder...

The white tom flung his head around, drops of blood spraying all over the place. He yowled with pain as his sides were ripped open by cruel claws...

But he did not give up.

"This is for betraying your own Clan," He spat, raking claws down Robinpelt's face. "This is for disobeying the warrior code."

Another slash. "And this? Oh, yeah, this is for _Dreamcloud and Scarletkit_!" Robinpelt's face was bloodied and unrecognizable by the time the final clawing came. But his body was still in good enough shape to fight.

"Give it up," He spat. "You're the cause of all of this... if you hadn't been with her, I wouldn't have had to do this."

Despite the circumstances, Windstar threw a glance at Rockkit and Birdkit to make sure they hadn't heard that. Thank StarClan, they were just trying to stay alive...

xxx

"This won't work," Blizzard snarled in rage. "It's too small!"

The wolves peered into the small hole that led up to the ledge. Faint sounds of snarls and yowls, and worst of all, kit whimpers, came from above. Calicofur kneaded the ground with her paws.

"I can get through!" She blurted out. "It will take too long for Firestar and his patrol to arrive here, they'll all be dead by then. And I _was _trained completely as a warrior."

"I'm going with you," Spiderleg said quickly. His amber eyes showed love and worry at the same time. "Calicofur, you're rusty. It's been moons since you last fought."

"No," She begged. "You might be... gone for good this time."

Her mate touched noses with her. "As long as I'm protecting you."

"This is... starting to get awkward," Blizzard muttered. "Uh, so will you or won't you?" His amber eyes shone with battle light; he wanted so desperately to be there.

"We will," Spiderleg meowed, and darted into the hole. Calicofur gave once last glance to Blizzard.

"If I don't make it out of there," She said. "Tell Dreamcloud that she was the best friend a cat could ever had."

Blizzard nodded. "I will," He vowed, but his voice held something in it. The wolf watched sadly as Calicofur ran towards what would surely be her doom.

He didn't tell Calicofur about the golden shape he had seen falling towards the lake when she wasn't there. The splash that was so hard, it had to have broken the poor cat's back.

How Dreamcloud was dead.

xxx

"Oh... Calicofur..." Spiderleg came to a complete halt at the mouth of the hole.

"What?" She asked, nudging her way through. "What is it?"

The tom quickly pushed her back. A cry of pain was heard. Calicofur forced herself to a position where she could see, but wished she hadn't.

Birdkit and Rockkit were crouched in a corner, but their sister was no where to be seen. Neither was Dreamcloud. Windstar was fighting against the four other cats, all alone. He seemed close to losing a life-and they would kill him nine times over.

"We've got to get in there!" Calicofur hissed. "I need to find Dreamcloud."

But an awful voice in her head said that she wouldn't be finding Dreamcloud at all.

Despite this, she still charged forward, Spiderleg at her side. Robinpelt and his followers looked up, surprised. Then, the battling stopped, and Robinpelt laughed.

"Oh, it's just the prisoner and the medicine cat."

"Where's Dreamcloud?" Calicofur growled, unsheathing her claws.

"She's dead."

Calicofur whipped her head around to see Windstar struggling to his paws. The strain of fighting four warriors at once was obvious on him... And yet his pale green eyes showed that he was ready to fight them again and again and again.

"No," Calicofur whispered, eyes wide.

"Dreamcloud?" Spiderleg muttered, shaking his head. "Can't be."

"Dreamcloud can't die!" There was a desperate edge to Calicofur's tone. "She... she just can't! It's not something that's possible!"

"That's... that's what I thought." Windstar whispered, his voice raw with grief. "We were wrong."'

Calicofur turned to Robinpelt. "You killed my best friend!"

xxx

The fight was raging. Spiderleg and Shalefoot were tearing at each other, Calicofur furiously clawing Dottedtail, and Windstar alone, Robinpelt and Rainwhisker on him. He knew that one of his lives was slipping away, and others would be soon...

"Good-bye," Robinpelt hissed, drawing back a paw for a death blow...

_Windstar opened his eyes groggily. So this was what losing a life was like. Oh, well. He'd have to do it eight more times today._

_"Hello, Windstar," Bluestar murmured, then gestured to a ghostly shape beside her. Windstar slumped on the ground... something was missing._

_"Can I leave soon?" He asked._

_"Yes," She murmured, then met his eyes. "The key is to never give up hope."_

"The key to what?"

But Bluestar only gave him a sad look as he awoke...

"Wake up, kitty," Robinpelt jeered, paw raised. Windstar sighed.

"I'll be with you soon, Dreamcloud."

Just as the second death blow was about to come, a snarl woke them to a different presence.

"Get away from him."

Standing at the opening of the ledge, the sun making her dripping wet pelt glow, was...

Dreamcloud.

Windstar struggled to his paws. Had StarClan taken him already? For his dead mate was right in front of his eyes...

"Windstar!" She breathed, racing up to press her soaked coat against his. "I'm so glad I was in time!"

The whole battle had frozen. Calicofur's eyes were even wider, Spiderleg was in mid-fight with Shalefoot, stuck in place. It was Rockkit who broke the silence.

"Mother!"

Dreamcloud purred as the ran up, and licked both kits with vigor. "Don't worry, it'll be all right," She purred. "Now go back to where you were."

They were obedient.

"You see," Dreamcloud said. "By some miracle, I survived the impact. I'm a pretty good swimmer, got to shore, and..."

She beckoned to someone with her head. "Come on in!"

Two huge, snarling creatures stepped into view. Blizzard and Luka.

"I found an opening."

"Now, would you two like to take care of _him_ by yourselves?" Blizzard growled.

"Oh yes," Windstar agreed, still stunned. "That would be nice."

Sun and Snow leaped at their enemy, slowly pushing him towards the edge.

"I really doubt StarClan is in your favor right now," Windstar purred as Robinpelt hung, barely able to hold on.

"I agree," Dreamcloud laughed. "Now you'll know what it's like."

And wailing, Robinpelt fell.

A few moments later, after some wolf-barks, his comrades were flung easily down with him.

"You're alive," Windstar whispered, giving Dreamcloud's forehead a quick lick. The kits were puzzled, but too young to suspect.

The kits...

"Mother?"

Dreamcloud turned with a gasp to find little Scarletkit. "Scarletkit!" She cried, racing up to her and licking the kit. "Thank StarClan... but-"

"Rainwhisker hit me with his paw, and it was all strange, like I was in a clearing. A nice tortoiseshell talked to me, and I woke up!" Scarletkit's eyes were bright.

Dreamcloud shot Windstar a glance. "When will our lives settle down."

"I honestly don't know if they ever will."

xxx

_Three moons later..._

_The queen slashed at the WindClan invader, and was pleased as he ran off yowling._

_"Dreamcloud!" The medicine cat scolded, padding up. "You really shouldn't be doing that."_

_  
"Please. Only one more moon before they're out of the nursery." A bittersweet look flashed through Dreamcloud's eyes._

_"That reminds me!" Calicofur exclaimed. In the midst of the battle, she searched for Spiderleg. But he was nowhere to be found..._

_Until she saw him._

_Lying on the ground, his throat bleeding._

_"Calicofur?" His words were a croak._

_"No!" She shrieked, running over just in time. The tom raised his head, brushed his face against hers, and whispered her name one last time..._

_"Calicofur."_

_  
His head rested on the ground. His eyes closed. And Calicofur wailed._

_xxx_

_"Dreamcloud, you mentored Palelegs wonderfully, teaching courage and honor," Firestar said. "I hope you shall pass these traits on to your daughter."_

_  
"I will." Dreamcloud touched noses with Scarletpaw. Birdpaw and Rockpaw stood nearby with their mentors, Sorretail and Thornclaw. Just as the Clan opened their mouths to chant the apprentices' new names, Firestar gave a yowl._

_"Brambleclaw! Look!"_

_  
A beam of light was streaming down from the clouds, much like it had with Firestar so long ago. Dreamcloud's pelt shone like the sun._

_"That's it," Brambleclaw whispered. "That's the sign."_

_  
"What sign?" Dreamcloud asked._

_"The sign I was told of last night," Firestar stated. Just as he did this, Brambleclaw spoke._

_"In the eyes of StarClan, I, Brambleclaw. hereby retire from deputy to warrior. May StarClan accept my decision."  
"What?" Dreamcloud cried in surprise. Murmurs surrounded the Clan. Her father's amber eyes glowed._

_"We all know who the true deputy is, Dreamcloud._

_The End_

_xxx_

_**'Windchaser, Dreamcatcher', will be out soon. As in, tomorrow or today soon. Just need enough reviews... (hint, hint) And sorry, I had to kill Spiderleg. It's essential to the plot of Blood Stained Sky.**_


End file.
